Argentina receives bids for Vaca Muerta pipeline project supply contracts

Six parties made bids for a contract to supply valves for the first phase of Argentina’s Vaca Muerta gas pipeline project, local media outlet EconoJournal reported.

State energy company Energía Argentina (Enarsa), formerly Ieasa, launched the tender last month, along with calling for bids on other supply contracts.

Parties interested in the valve contract are Cameron, Tormene Americana, PYAT, Valbol, Valtronic and Wenlen, according to EconoJournal.

Enarsa also asked for bids for contracts to supply measurement and chromatography components, valves, heat shrink sleeves and welding rods.  

Morken, HTM and Tube Steel bid for the sleeves procurement work, it said, adding that Emerson bid for the chromatography components and that the welding rods tender was declared void.

Local supplier Siat was awarded a contract to supply the pipes.

The launch of a tender process for the actual construction work is still pending.

Authorities have said they want to bring the first phase of the duct online around the middle of next year to support an increase in production and dispatch from the Neuquina basin gas fields that would, in turn, help substitute imported natural gas and LNG – a major expense for the government.