Uribe, Chávez and Correa open gas pipeline [View All]

[CGowen]

The presidents of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, Álvaro Uribe, Hugo Chávez, and Rafael Correa Friday opened in Manaure, Goajira department, a Colombian station -called Punta Ballenas- of the Venezuela-Colombia gas pipeline built by the state oil companies of the two countries, Efe reported.

The three rulers unveiled a plate commemorating the inauguration of the pipeline, and then opened the valves that pump the gas drilled from the Colombian Caribbean to be supplied to consumers in Maracaibo, northwestern Venezuela.

"We are here to start the operations of this gas pipeline. This is not just another facility for our oil industry, but this is the first gas pipeline connecting our two countries," said Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rafael Ramírez.

This project "gives way to great opportunities to advance our trumpeted energy integration," he added.

Punta Ballenas is the first of the nine pumping stations in the 25" diameter, 224-kilometer pipeline, which has a maximum capacity of 500 million cubic feet of gas, said Ramírez. He added that the cost of the project was USD 467 million.

http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/10/12/en_pol_art_uribe,-chavez-and-co_12A1127199.shtml