Peru: US firm to build gas pipeline

The Peruvian government has awarded Kuntur Transportadora de Gas, an affiliate of the US company Conduit Capital Partners, the contract to construct a major gas pipeline and to transport gas in the southern part of the country. The pipeline will originate in the Las Malivinas region, where the Camisea gas deposits are located, and run to the city of Juliaca on the border with Bolivia. Kuntur applied to the Peruvian government for the concession in March 2008 and announced the signing of an accord with Odebrecht to bring the Brazilian construction company into the consortium in August 2008. The company presented its application to Peru's ministry of Energy and Mines and the proposal was successfully reviewed by the Ministry and the municipalities before being passed. The construction of the pipeline is expected to begin in 2010 and is expected to be operational by the end of 2012.