March 20 Latin America COVID-19 Report

---

Power
The impact of the outbreak in the region's Power Industry has been relatively minimal. Some projects are being slightly delayed while the operation of existing plants is secure, although with a minimum staff. Plants and projects could be affected due to difficulties in importing equipment and components, and could see permitting delays as more government offices are being shuttered.

Pharmaceuticals
Argentina: Plants in Argentina are working at maximum capacity to avoid market shortages during quarantine.

Brazil: Most companies are focusing on current production and postponing maintenance and capital projects until the second half of the year, when the situation is expected have improved.

Mexico: Companies have begun to be affected by measures taken by other countries, such as Degort's Chemical SA de CV, which has been forced to postpone the construction kickoff of a plant in Iztapalapa until August. For now, the company can't receive foreign external contractors and equipment.

Industrial Manufacturing
Airports: International airports in all Latin American countries are open but only receiving flights. There are no departures because most of the air borders are closed. Ports: All ports are controlling cruise terminal arrivals but are operating normally regarding cargo, containers, bulk shipments and general transportation.

Automotive Sector
Brazil: General Motors, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen will furlough all employees in Brazil and shut down their plants later this month. They have not said when they will restart operations.

Mexico: General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler have closed all North America factories March 19 through March 30.

Alternative Fuels
Brazil: The Chamber of Deputies took action to allow for the sale of 70% alcohol fuel for 90 days in response to the outbreak. In the state of Goiás, a couple of plants are ready to convert ethanol into 70% alcohol and could produce up to 100,000 liters per day.

A similar situation is occurring in Argentina, where leading producers of corn-based ethanol in the provinces of Córdoba, San Luis and Santa Fé will be donating 150,000 liters of their production to their corresponding governments in order to produce gel alcohol.

Metals & Minerals
Brazil: Mines are still operating. In case of quarantine, mines could be shuttered, if needed.

Peru: Mines are shuttered until the end of the quarantine, scheduled for April 1.


Refining
Jamaica: Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica has delayed a 21-day planned plant-wide turnaround at its 35,000-barrel-per-day (BBL/d) Kingston Refinery from March to June.

Colombia: Refineria Colombiana Sebastopol SAS has suspended all work at the grassroot 100,000-BBL/d Sebastopol Refinery.

Peru: Petroperu SA has suspended all work related to the PMRT (Proyecto de Modernizacion de Refineria Talara) at its 65,000-BBL/d Talara Refinery.

Venezuela: All refineries in the country remain offline. Crude upgraders continue to operate at reduced rates.

Oil & Gas
Brazil: Petrobras has delayed three floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) projects: Almirante Barroso, Sepetebia FPSO and P-70 FPSO.

Peru: The Pluspetrol Malvinas Camisea natural gas processing plant is running at 75% capacity and was forced to reschedule a planned maintenance shutdown on Train 1, originally planned for April. It is now expected to be performed in May or June, once equipment arrives from Europe.

Chemical Processing

Venezuela: Pequiven has postponed investments until 2021.

Chile: Some producers are placing projects on hold and revaluating their implementation within two to three months.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.