PDVSA: Chief executive Rafael Ramirez
PDVSA adds one to LNG project
Venezuela's state-owned PDVSA plans to build three LNG trains instead of two as previously announced, company chief executive and oil and energy minister Rafael Ramirez said at the Latin American Petroleum Show in Maracaibo.
The company is considering a third LNG train at the Cigma liquefaction facility under development near the Delta Caribe Oriental offshore blocks.
Exports would start by 2014, according to PDVSA.
California-based Chevron, which has stakes in the Plataforma Deltana projects that will help supply the project with gas, is involved in one of the trains, Ramirez said.
Argentina's state oil company Enarsa and Portugal's Galp also are participating in the trains, said Business News Americas.
Japanese engineering companies are expected to take part in the project and France's Total, Norway's StatoilHydro and an Iranian company are thought to be involved as well, according to various sources, said a Business News Americas report.
The first train will use gas from PDVSA's Mariscal Sucre field, which PDVSA plans to develop alone.
The second will use gas from the Plataforma Deltana's Block 2.
Chevron has a 60% stake in Deltana's Block 2, although PDVSA can buy an increased share in the block when commerciality is declared.
LNG from the facility would go to both "strategic" markets in Latin America, as well as other markets with traditionally more lucrative LNG prices, according to PDVSA.