ENAP to invest $ 49 mm during 2004
The Chilean government owned oil company, ENPA, will be investing a total of $ 334 mm during 2004, of which 49 mm in
Magallanes Region. This represents $ 26 mm more than last year and the sum will be concentrated in four main projects
mainly natural gas and closely linked to the methanol industry concentrated in Punta Arenas.
"One is the Posesion gas field, we’re going to increase compression so we can pump more gas for Methanex;
another is investment in plants so we can process more natural gas to supply Methanex fourth block; a general
capacity expansion of the oil and gas network of pipelines and finally further exploration in the Mercedes lake",
said ENAP Punta Arenas General Manager Daniel Fernandez.
As to the possibility of an ethylene plant Mr Fernandez said it much depended on the capacity of Argentina to deliver
sufficient gas, "we don’t have more available in Chile".
Regarding a fifth block for the successful Methanex plant Mr Fernandez argued he is no position to talk about a
private company but if this is the case.
"Enap will continue to deliver gas and the necessary transport facilities. Don’t forget we expanded the port
operating capacity, we built a second jetty, and with this infrastructure no fifth block can be added to the Methanex
plant".
Mr Fernandez also promised to keep residential gas fares unchanged for the coming winter, a very controversial issue
in Punta Arenas.
"Those are the president’s instructions (unchanged gas fares) so we’ll do our outmost to make sure that
is so."
