Friday, January 05, 2007

E-Tech Questions TGP's Latest Pipeline Report


Peru's news daily, La Primera, has an interview with E-Tech International engineer, Bill Powers who shares his skepticism of TGP's latest report on the status of the Camisea Pipeline. He accuses TGP of placing the blame for multiple pipeline spills on mother nature while having not taken the time to adequately control erosion during pipeline construction. He also says that TGP's "intelligent pigging" tests are not capable of detecting the fundamental problem of substandard welding - a problem that requires radiography to identify.

Power's also questioned how the firm Germanisher Lloyd, which has been contracted by the Peruvian government to perform a technical audit of the pipeline, would be able to carry out a proper field assessment during the height of the rainy season in the Amazon.

Rigzone reports that TGP will invest an additional $85 million in the pipeline in 2007. It quotes TGP General Manager, Ricardo Ferreiro, as saying that "The pipeline is in perfect condition" and that their testing has found only 30 small scratches or dents in the pipeline.

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