The Minister of Energy, Juan Carlos Bermeo, reiterates that the goal of one million barrels per day could be met by the end of the Government and at the same time ensures that the decision of the Constitutional Court will be respected, but at the same time says that he could apply a legal strategy if. In the meantime, they are working intensely on platforms A and B. He also assured that they will move forward with the round offshore for greater gas production in Campo Amistad, but oil is also expected to be found there.
How is the increase in oil production progressing? An increase is seen, but the 526,000 barrels per day that we had commented would be achieved in December 2021 has not been reached.
The issuance of the regulation of the law paves the way to reach the goal of one million until the end of the Government. Now we’re moving up, but don’t forget the two pipeline mishaps in December and the OCP in February. It must be taken into account that in the ITT area we produce heavy crude oil that must be transported through the OCP. If the OCP is broken we cannot transport it and that happened to us and we had to suspend the production of the ITT, until the transport capacity of the OCP is recovered.
Why, after the rupture, did the production of the Petroecuador fields stop, but not that of the private ones?
There are people who say that we have managed to harm national production and that the private ones are not affected. But the reason is the quality of the crude. There is an operational restriction that does not allow me to go out with this crude. There were also restrictions with Repsol. It is a technical issue that has no political component.
The Constitutional Court has indicated that the platforms cannot be installed in the buffer zone, what will happen to the ITT’s plans for increased production?
We as a ministry and as a Government are respectful of the functions of the State and if this decision came from the Court we will respect it, even if we do not share it. We are analyzing to present, if it were the case, if there was a need to present, legal resources so that the Court clarifies us. I don’t want to advance my legal strategy. In principle, we have that restriction that the Court has raised and we are working intensively on platforms A and B.
But does this restriction affect the production goal of one million barrels at the end of the Government?
We are going to have to make more detailed evaluations to, if in case there is a definitive impediment to the possibility of building platforms in the buffer zone, which the decree did allow, we are going to look at the technical characteristics of what can be done in the ITT area with the two platforms and the possibilities of replacing Ishpingo production with other production from nearby areas, considering that we already have infrastructure there.
An issue that is also worrying these days is how the remediation for the breakage of the OCP is advancing and especially a report from the Ministry of the Environment on a stain in the Yasuní sector. What do you know?
The spill was 6,300 barrels and 5,300 barrels have been recovered and are already being reprocessed in Lago Agrio in the Amazonas tanks. For the difference, which went to the water courses, barriers have been placed to prevent the passage of crude oil, but OCP has also applied compensation measures, such as food kits, water delivery, medical brigades to attend to the communities if whether or not they had a problem related to the spill. With respect to the Yasuní, the rivers that flow into the Napo are rivers that go from the Yasuní to the Napo, so it is difficult for it to have reached the Yasuní.
But that was a report from the Ministry of the Environment…
They may be on the banks, not necessarily in the internal zone; but that must be seen with technical precision. I am not arguing or entering into controversy with the Ministry of the Environment, I am just saying that it is necessary to see the feasibility that this contamination can enter Yasuní.
What is the reason for delaying the bidding for the non-conventional energy block, the combined cycle block and the northeastern transmission?
We have given an additional deadline for the selection of offers. The reason is that we get some questions about terms and bases. Therefore, if we want to attract a greater amount of investment, we had to give them additional space to make associations with other companies or seek financing.
How many companies are interested and how many could be increased?
Until now, 212 companies have consulted and 19 have bought the bases, which already allows them access to the data. We would like everyone to be able to participate, although there are mandatory requirements that become difficult for small companies: assets, specific experience. Now a period has been given, not very long for the offers, but we continue with the initial schedule for the total process, that has not changed, in the year 2022 we will finalize.
What stage are they at for the delivery of Thermogas to New Fortress?
I must be clear that there was a private New Fortress initiative, both in 2020 and 2021. It is an initiative like any other, but there is no contract that binds us, neither the contract nor the supply of gas to through Campo Amistad, as has been said. Termogas Machala is working as it should. Celec is the owner and is defining the best path for it to have the necessary gas supply and deliver continuous, safe and reliable energy.
dowhat about the round offshore field Friendship? There are many voices, including that of the expert Walter Spurrier who says that more space is being given to projects that would use imported gas and the offshore?
With the offshore we will leave this year, in the second half of 2022. It is a commitment of the ministry and the Government. The idea of the round offshore is to find the company that can make the necessary investments to repower the Amistad Field to take it to higher productions and hopefully discover not only gas, but also oil. It will be managed with a participation contract and the largest number of offers. The other thing is the importation of gas, which, like any other business, brings gas for the local industry.
Source: Eluniverso
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