Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Montero stated that there is interest from companies in Saudi Arabia and Qatar to develop the petrochemical industry in southern Peru, as mentioned at the Future Minerals Forum, held in Riyadh from January 14 to 16.
"We spoke with the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia (Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef), the Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Foreign Trade of Qatar (Ahmad bin Mohammed Al-Sayed), as well as the CEO of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) (Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh) and the CEO of Manara Minerals (Pierre Chenard)," Montero told Andina News Agency.
"We have discussed the issue of Peru needing a petrochemical facility in the south, where Camisea and other fields in the gas belt of Peru are located. We are discussing the possibility of developing a petrochemical facility in Peru that would allow the production of fertilizers and other derivatives," he added.
"With Qatar, the issue is gas, and with Saudi Arabia, oil and minerals. Both are interested in petrochemicals, and we will have to see who we ultimately reach agreements with. This window of opportunity has opened in a generous and powerful way," Montero stated.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has done an extraordinary job opening doors, making contacts, and allowing me to hold these dialogues, along with the team that accompanied me," he added.
Natural Gas
The minister emphasized the need to promote the exploration and exploitation of natural gas to sustain the petrochemical industry and the massification of domestic gas.
"We want a sustainable petrochemical industry and a massification of gas in central and southern Peru. To achieve this, we need to increase our probable, proven, and inferred reserves of methane gas, which is the natural gas we have in Peruvian territory," he indicated.
The government official said that they are meeting with the company Transportadora de Gas del Peru (TGP) regarding its 923-kilometer gas pipeline project that would supply Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua, and Tacna regions.
"We are also talking with TGP about the coastal gas pipeline that would carry gas for industrial and mining uses to Mollendo (Arequipa region) and Ilo (Moquegua region); there is also the idea of having a line that connects to Arequipa to boost its industries at lower costs with gas that is much cheaper," Montero said.
"We also have the Cálidda distribution project for seven regions that would benefit from a gas distribution service similar to the one in Lima and Callao, with 2.3 million connections and more than 10 million beneficiaries," he added.
The Cabinet member explained that the seven regions to benefit are Apurimac, Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, Junin, Puno, and Ucayali, through the laying of pipes so that the distribution lines provide access to gas for the populations.
"Bringing this gas to seven regions with a cross-subsidy scheme is an excellent proposal. The gas should also reach Quillabamba; we are identifying an interesting opportunity and we will evaluate it," he indicated.
(END) CNA/MVB
Published: 1/28/2025