The PAU starts operations in September with 85% of its production capacity

This YPFB release was published using machine translation.

La Paz, Aug 18 (AN/YPFB).- The restart of operations of the Ammonia and Urea Plant (PAU) "Marcelo Quiroga Santa Cruz" is scheduled for September 4 with a production capacity of 85%, after concluding maintenance tasks successfully, reported this Friday the National Vice President of Operations (VPNO) of YPFB, Luciano Montellano.

"The work has been carried out for 45 days, at three in the morning of this Friday the first start-up maneuvers of the Ammonia Plant have begun, so that following the procedure in the start-up sequence that is planned, the It has defined that on September 4 the plant will produce urea”.

Montellano added that the plant is expected to start up and subsequently operate at 85% of its capacity to supply the markets of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia. "The maintenance task has been successful, the maintenance task has been practically completed, the first start-up maneuvers have begun and on September 4 we have full urea production."

Montellano gave his opinion on the subject to clarify that the 2022 and 2023 efforts regarding the price of urea are not comparable due to the fact that in 2022 there was a strong distortion in fertilizer prices caused by the war between Russia and Ukraine. Currently, the situation returned to its normal behavior. In 2022 the price reached USD 1,000 a ton, this year it is estimated at USD 430. The commitment of the state oil company is to reach, by the end of this management, USD 130 million in sales.

THE MAINTENANCE

The PAU entered into a scheduled shutdown, planned since last year as part of a five-year comprehensive maintenance strategy, which took place in the period of lowest demand for urea, which coincides with the highest period of gas demand in Argentina.

“In the strike, several international and national companies participated, as support, 626 people of eight nationalities in massive maintenance work, in the peak period of maintenance tasks. Equipment manufacturers and technology licensors have worked together with us”, said Luciano Montellano.