Sycar announces second import of liquefied natural gas from Panama for February 8, 2010

The US company Sycar LLC informed that the second import of liquefied natural gas will arrive next February 8. This time "it will be 3 million cubic meters of natural gas that will displace 21,000 gallons of diesel, eliminating 85 tons of CO??. Sycar obtained the necessary permits from the Ministry of Energy at the end of last year and made the first import on January 11.

The importation of natural gas is intended to allow industries to change their energy matrix from the typical diesel to this more environmentally friendly fuel. However, there are voices of experts who ask that space is also given to the national production of gas in order to maintain energy sustainability.

Nelson Jaramillo Pita, representative of Sycar LLC, commented that this change of matrix is important because it contributes to a true decarbonization process. He also explained that the gas has already been placed in the industrial sector, although he did not give details about his clients. When asked about which industries have opted to buy this product, and whether the high price could have been a disincentive, Jaramillo Pita replied that "it has not been difficult to place LNG beyond technical reasons".

He commented that when an industrialist changes fuel he must make changes in the production lines, which forces him to stop the plant and sometimes generate production bumps. In this sense, the ideal would be to have the security of a continuous and safe gas supply. Otherwise, in the event of a gas shortage, it will be forced to stop production lines again to change fuel.

Jaramillo Pita explained that this issue has been a limiting factor for Sycar, which is starting with a lower volume and for now "cannot ensure a continuous supply, but rather spot sales when we have the product in Ecuador". In any case, he indicated that this limitation will be eliminated once the company increases isotank units and when they have their floating storage.

For the businessman, the Ecuadorian industrialist is very receptive to the use of a cleaner fuel, but will always need security of supply, otherwise it is very difficult to change their processes.

On the other hand, the use of local natural gas is also gaining ground in the country. Recently the manager of Petroecuador, Ítalo Cedeño, assured that the associated gas obtained from oil production in the Amazon and which is burned in burners, wasting sales opportunities, should be taken advantage of. He has also agreed with the idea of seeking to exploit the gas from the Amistad Field and its surroundings, with private investment. Recently a permit was approved for the construction of a liquefaction plant of a private company (GreenPower) that seeks to process local gas.