Epen to call for oil field power transmission bids March

Argentina's Neuquen province energy regulator Epen and three oil companies in the Neuquen basin plan to launch in March an international tender to build a 132kV transmission line between two oil fields, Epen's power systems director, Hugo Murga, told BNamericas. Epen signed a preliminary agreement in November with the companies - the Chevron San Jorge subsidiary of US-based ChevronTexaco, Argentina's Petrobras Energia and Spain's Repsol YPF - to link Repsol YPF's Loma de la Lata field with Chevron San Jorge's El Trapial field. The three companies and Epen will invest about US$14mn to build the 140km line and upgrade the transformers in both fields. "We are analyzing the technical studies and the bidding rules should be ready by the end of February," Murga said. Epen plans to award the contract by April-May and start construction of the line in June-July. The construction period is about 18 months. Epen is currently studying how much energy each of the companies would consume, which will allow the regulator to calculate the corresponding investment of each party in the project. The line is "very necessary" and is designed to help meet growing demand, particularly from oil and mining companies, in Neuquen province in the medium and long term, Murga said. The line will also improve the stability of the system and reduce dependence on local generators by linking northern Neuquen with the national grid (SIN). The line will also benefit a Repsol YPF project to generate its own thermoelectric power on the Loma de la Lata, El Porton and Chihuidos oil fields, and sell excess power to the SIN.