Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Pipeline Suffers 6th Rupture


On April 3, 2007, TGP reported to the press that it had detected an "anomaly" in the liquid gas pipeline at kilometer 125 in the community of Kepashiato in the Cumpirishiato Valley. The company categorized the situation as "under control" saying that it was only a "bubble" (burbujeo) and that it had caused no environmental or social damage.

However according to the Associated Press, a technical commission from the regional government in Cusco visited the area on April 6th and found that a spill had indeed occurred. The commission accused TGP of downplaying the incident. It found and estimated 4,000 barrels of gas had leaked into the surrounding soil and streams in a radius of 300 meters, directly affecting at least 200 families. The local population asked for the government to declare a state of emergency.

The spill was only 500 meters from where the pipeline broke in March 2006, causing explosions and setting a home on fire. According the to the technical commission's report, It occurred on April 2, 2007 at approximately 2:00 pm but TGP did not alert residents living only 10 minutes away until the following day.

In an article published by La Republica, Peru's College of Engineers accused TGP and the Ministry of Energy and Mines of not telling the truth and putting the country's energy matrix at risk by not stopping production and making long-term fixes to the leaky pipe.