Tecnimont Wins New Contract for Bolivia's Gran Chaco Petrochemical Complex

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources Latin America (Cordoba, Argentina)--Bolivian national hydrocarbons company Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) (La Paz, Bolivia) recently selected Maire Tecnimont (Milan, Italy) to develop conceptual engineering of the petrochemical complex at the Gran Chaco Industrial Park in the department of Tarija, Bolivia.

View Project Report - 300141671 300093656 300050030 300049987 300028015 300141688 300051178 300050003 300050016

Projects that are related to the complex have a combined total investment value of $4.23 billion.

YPFB is driving several projects to promote gas and petroleum investments. The first phase of project development includes a 200,000-tonne-per-year propylene unit and a polypropylene unit, as well as offsite utilities, which are scheduled to begin operations in 2018.

The petrochemical complex has an ethylene unit, a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) unit, a linear-density polyethylene (LLDPE) unit, a medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) unit, and two high-density polyethylene (HDPE) units, which are slated to be operational in 2022.

YPFB also has awarded Tecnimont a contract to complete the strategic support services for the complex. This contract includes unit installation support, technology selection and preparation, as well as selection of the company that will execute basic engineering through the first quarter of 2015.

YPFB will select a turnkey company in 2016. The turnkey company will execute the detailed engineering, construction and start-up of the units, and will be responsible for the maintenance and operation of the propylene and polypropylene units, and the offsite utilities, for a two-year period.

An engineering firm is expected to oversee conceptual engineering of the second stage of the project in 2016. When completed, the complex will have a production capacity of 600,000 tonnes per year of ethylene and polyethylene.

A recently constructed liquids separation plant in the area will provide feedstock for the facility.

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