Colombian firm lands Norperuano oil pipeline service contract

Peru’s national oil company Petroperú has awarded consultancy work as part of actions to modernize and strengthen the integrity of the Norperuano oil pipeline (ONP).

Protección Catódica de Colombia was the winner of the 240-day contract, a call for which was issued in April. The other participants were New Global and Cathodic Protection of Peru.

The contract entails drafting the extended basic engineering for an impressed current cathodic protection system along the 856km principal duct and 252km northern branch. The system envisions the use of solar power for the latter.

According to some estimates, corrosion affects 60% of the 40-year-old ONP, which was originally designed to transport light crude and now primarily moves heavy crude.

The pipeline connects production blocks in the northern Amazon with the NOC’s Bayóvar terminal on the Pacific coast, some 200km south of the Talara refinery.

Year to date, Petroperú has reported five intentional cuts along the duct, and in March heavy rains exposed a section of tubing.

After an oil spill in February, which Petroperú said was contained and attributed to pumping pressure, the state operator highlighted that 59 ONP contingencies had been registered since 2014, 76% of which it attributed to third parties.

The company added that over 300mn soles (US$80mn) had been invested on repair and remediation work.

Also read Petroecuador open to dispatching crude through Peru

Source: Petroperú