Last Wednesday, July 10, the inauguration of the Tratayén Compressor Plant was celebrated, a collaboration between the state-owned Enarsa, the construction company Sacde(Pampa Energía), and national and Neuquén authorities. This project is strategic for the increase of gas injection capacity from the Vaca Muerta region to the Néstor Kirchner Gas Pipeline, promising an annual economic benefit of approximately US$350 million.
The Tratayén compressor plant
Enarsa and Sacde representatives explained that, after reaching mechanical completion at the end of June, the 15,000 HP turbocharger was commissioned. In addition, the installation of an 84-meter “flare”, essential for the plant’s operational safety, has been completed, which allows the controlled burning of residual gas in situations of excess pressure or during maintenance and start-ups.
Located in the core of Vaca Muerta, the plant has the capacity to compress and increase the volume of gas transported from 11.2 million to 16 million cubic meters per day. With an investment of US$120 million and the participation of 700 workers, this facility increases the efficiency of gas transportation while enabling the processing of natural gas into high-value by-products.
Sacde’s president and CEO, Damián Mindlin, highlighted the positive impact of the plant, which will add 4.8 million cubic meters of gas per day to the Néstor Kirchner Pipeline. This increase in capacity contributes to reducing the need to import liquid fuels and LNG, strengthening national energy self-sufficiency.
The installation of the Tratayén compressor plant. Source: Sacde
The activation of the Tratayén plant marks the beginning of the first phase of the project to double the amount of gas in the Tratayén pipeline. gas in the Gas Pipeline. The next stage includes the completion of the Salliqueló plant and, subsequently, the Mercedes plant, which is expected to be operational by the end of September, increasing capacity to 21 million cubic meters per day.
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Source and photo: Enarsa