Negotiations Begin for Completion of Trans-Andean Natural Gas Pipeline

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Energy authorities from Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela began negotiations on November 14, 2007, for the completion of the Trans-Andean natural gas pipeline, which will connect the three nations and allow them to use and trade natural gas. During the meeting, a working timetable for the multinational committee was approved.

Delegations have been appointed, and they will meet in Quito, Ecuador, on December 10, 2007. The technical commission has also been named, and it will be in charge of developing the project's logistics and feasibility studies. Ecuador, which has expressed interest in developing a project to start exploring the Gulf of Guayaquil for natural gas, will have Venezuela as it main gas supplier. Colombia, on the other hand, has natural gas reserves that account for 90% of internal demand. Daisy Craquera, Energy and Mining Ministry, represented Colombia, and Anibal Rosas and Nelson Martinez from state-owned oil firm PDVSA represented Venezuela.

On October 12, 2007, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa attended the inauguration of the construction for the first 224-kilometer leg of the pipeline that connects Colombia's Caribbean coast and the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo in Zulia State. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez also attended. For more details, view related October 22, 2007, article - Venezuela and Colombia Inaugurate New Bi-National Pipeline. The three presidents signed a memorandum of understanding that day to complete the gas connection among the participating countries.

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