THE TENDER IS LAUNCHED TO RE-CONTRACT THE BAHÍA BLANCA REGASIFICATION VESSEL

The state company IEASA launched a tender to re-contract an LNG regasification vessel at the Bahía Blanca terminal. The ship will go into operation on May 18, 15 days earlier than last year.

The state-owned company Integración Energética Argentina (IEASA, formerly Enarsa) launched the bidding process to re-contract the Bahía Blanca regasification vessel. Last year the service was provided by the ship Excelsior of Excelerate Energy, the company that has always been in charge of the operation of the regasification terminal since it began operating in 2008.

The main novelty that emerges from the tender document prepared by IEASA is that, instead of starting operations on May 31 like last year, in 2022 the ship will start operating earlier, on May 18. The government seeks, in this way, that the same thing does not happen to it as last year, when it had to consume liquid fuels due to the lack of natural gas.

The vessel that regasifies the LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) will be in operation until August 31, 2022.

EconoJournal accessed the bidding rules launched by IEASA, where it is specified that during this month the answers to the queries of the interested parties in the bidding process will be made. The former Enarsa will receive the proposals until February 8.

IEASA is the company in charge of importing LNG into the country and YPF is the company that operates the Bahía Blanca terminal. According to the bases and conditions, both companies will evaluate the tender proposals to “select the most attractive no later than March 1.” The selected proposal will have until March 1st to present a guarantee of US$5 million.

The tender clarifies: “Given that the Argentine natural gas system is expected to again require the Bahía Blanca regasification terminal to be operational during the winter period of 2022, IEASA is issuing this request for proposal to ensure the acquisition of a Reliable and affordable FSRU (Floating Storage and Regasification Unit) and related services, with a requirement to have it fully operational by May 18, 2022.”