Andean Group - September 2017 (ISSN 1741-4466)

New petrochemicals plant: On 14 September, President Morales inaugurated a new petrochemical plant in Bulo Bulo town, Cochabamba department, marking the start of a new era of industrialisation of Bolivia’s natural gas production sector. Hydrocarbons Minister Luis Sánchez told reporters that the US$938.3m plant, which was constructed by the South Korean firm Samsung over the last five years – the biggest such project in Bolivia’s history – will be able to produce 1,200 tonnes (t) a day of ammonia and 2,100t a day of granulated urea which is used as fertilizer in agriculture. Construction of the plant generated 3,500 direct and 7,000 indirect jobs and it will now employ 250 workers directly and another 800 indirectly. A government press release notes that of the urea produced, 80%-90% will be exported with Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Paraguay lined up as potential markets.

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