Project Profile
Value: Undisclosed
Location: From the northern border of Tamaulipas state to Los Ramones, in Nuevo Leon state, and continue to Apaseo el Alto, in Guanajuato (from South Texas to Central Mexico), Mexico
Total Capacity: Unknown
Ramones II South capacity: 1.4 billion cubic feet per day
Length: 1,000 kilometres
Start-up Year: by the end of 2015
The Mexican national oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex), through its international gas trading division MexGas International (MGI), is pursuing several pipelines projects to import natural gas from USA. Among the projected solutions, Pemex is working on Los Ramones pipeline, a natural gas pipeline from the South Texas to Central Mexico. Starting at the US/Mexican border in southern Texas, the pipeline would take 1,000 kilometres length to deliver natural gas in central Mexico.
Los Ramones gas pipeline project will be divided in two phases to speed up the construction of the first phase. The first stretch will be built from the northern border of Tamaulipas state to Los Ramones, in Nuevo Leon state, while the second stretch will continue to Apaseo el Alto, in Guanajuato. The first stretch will start operations by December 1, 2014, at least three months earlier than initially planned. It will be built by local firm TAG Pipelines, while the second phase will be auctioned. Pemex’s international gas trading company MGI was mandated to lead the bidding process for this Los Ramones pipeline project.
In addition, GDF Suez and its partner Pemex, are set to start the construction on the Ramones Phase II South pipeline, a segment of the Ramones natural gas pipeline system, which is one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in Mexico’s history, extending from the Texas border to central Mexico. Established as a joint venture between Pemex and GDF Suez, Ramones II South will span 291 kilometres from San Luis Potosi to Apaseo El Alto, Guanajuato, and represents a total estimated investment cost of US$1 billion. The Ramones II South pipeline will have the capacity to deliver 1.4 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas. The company responsible for the construction of the pipeline is ICA Fluor. GDF SUEZ will operate and maintain the project from its completion, which is anticipated by the end of 2015. The project is expected to generate 1,480 construction jobs and 3,000 indirect jobs. The Ramones natural gas pipeline, of a total length exceeding 1,000 kilometres, will be an important project for the development and energy security of Mexico, allowing for the importation from the United States of up to 2.1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas.
Operators:
Pemex: Operator with 50% interest
IEnova: 50% interest
Contractors:
TAG Pipelines: Main EPC contract
ICA Fluor: EPC contract for the Ramones Phase II South pipeline