São Paulo – From 2003 to 2010, Brazil increased its gas pipeline network from 5,000 to 10,000 kilometres. Today, another one will be inaugurated: Cabiúnas-Reduc III (Gasduc III), the gas pipeline with the largest diameter in South America, with 38 inches (equivalent to 96.5 centimetres) and the highest transport capacity (40 million cubic metres/day) among Brazilian gas pipelines.
Connecting the municipalities of Macaé and Duque de Caxias, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, the 179-kilometre long structure cost 2.54 billion Brazilian reals (US$ 1.38 billion). The Gasduc III will raise transport capacity in that interval from 16 million cubic metres/day to 40 million cubic metres/day.
The pipeline is capable of transporting natural gas produced at the Campos and Espírito Santo basins; gas imported from Bolivia, which arrives at the state of Rio through the Campinas-Rio and Japeri-Reduc pipelines; and gas from the LNG Regasification Terminal at the Guanabara Bay. With the conclusion of the Caraguatatuba-Taubaté (GASTAU) pipeline, due this year, the Gasduc III will be able to receive gas from the Santos Basin.
The most important feature of the Gasduc will be its linking, within two months, to the Southeast Northeast Pipeline (Gasoduto Sudeste Nordeste – Gasene), allowing for energy integration with the states of the Northeast, according to Petrobras’ Gas and Energy director, Graça Foster.
"The Southeast of the country might be a market for gas from the Northeast. Thus, the two countries are literally integrated from the gas industry perspective. There were two Brazils. This pipeline has connected the two. Therefore, if a governor in the state of Ceará grants competitive advantages for the implementation of a tyre manufacturing plant, gas will no longer be an obstacle. All that it takes is for the distributing company to sign a contract with Petrobras, a contract with the consumer, and there goes the gas,” stated Graça Foster.
According to her, the inauguration of the last interval of the Gasene – Cacimbas-Catu – should take place in the second half of March, which should change the energy matrix of the Northeast. “The change will be all-encompassing. It is a very good sign. There is nothing left to be done. Everything is ready. All we have to do is to manage the inaugurations,” celebrated the director of the state-owned oil company. The Gasene is 1,387 kilometres long.
Graça informed that since 2003, the Brazilian government has invested 26 billion Brazilian reals (US$ 14.1 billion) on the building of the country’s gas pipeline network. After the greater integration, the system will become more trustworthy, because there will be several gas sources supplying consumers, in a connected manner, as is the case with the electric system.
*With information from Agência Brasil. Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
