Pañacocha (Ecuador), 15 sep (EFE).-Ecuador get carbon credits for the United Nations amounting to $ 20 million for a project of electric in an oil field in the Amazon that reuses the gas surplus to generate electricity, said today the President of the country, Rafael Correa.
Each bond of carbon, known as certificate reducing emissions, equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) which does not emit to the atmosphere.
So far to generate energy took diesel oil field Eden Yuturi, but from today is reused surplus gas from the oil extraction process, yielding a saving of $ 70 million a year for Ecuador, explained the President on a visit to the facilities.
Field is in Pañacocha, in the province of Sucumbios, on the border between Ecuador and Colombia, and is a demonstration of the objective of Ecuador exploit its natural resources with the least possible environmental impact, according to its Government.
“Yes to the exploitation of oil, mining and water, but with social and environmental responsibility,” said Correa in a ceremony in front of workers of the State oil company Petroamazonas, the company that has created this system.
The representative explained that the cost of the power plant has been around 35 million dollars, but said that Ecuador will get 20 million dollars in bonds of carbon as a compensation for emissions reduced.
For the moment, this electric generation plant works 90% with gas and the other 10% with oil, but by may 2012 are expected throughout the plant to work fully with gas.
Until today, the surplus of the oil extraction process gas was burned, so the Ecuadorian Amazon was illuminated by a huge flame.
Correa gave start to the new system pistolazo and the flame was extinguished almost until the end, something that will make final year that comes when the plant only work with gas.
For its part, the Minister of renewable natural resources not, Wilson Pástor, stressed that with this electrical system, will generate up to 35 MW, Ecuador cease emit into the atmosphere “the same 70,000 vehicles that pollute”, because the project will prevent the burning of between six and nine million cubic feet of gas by day.
In a busy schedule for the Amazon, Correa visited several local infrastructure accompanied by the Ministers of coordinator of sectors strategic, George Glass, environment, Marcela Aguiñaga, and the Secretary general of the Institute for the ECO Regional Amazon (Ecorae), Carlos Viteri.
On a visit to the town of Pañacocha, the Manager of Petroamazonas, Osvaldo Madrid, indicated that since last year opened the plant oil with the same name, the State has logged 497 million dollars, of which 12 per cent will be used for the development of local communities and build “the new Millennium cities” with all the services basic.
Correa stressed that before the oil wealth would be to “Quito, Guayaquil, Miami and here (in the Amazon region) was pollution and garbage”, something that will change the resources that now will be devoted to the area, according to him.
The representative warned that this money must serve to generate other industries, such as tourism development, because the oil will eventually end.
“The future of the Amazon is not the oil, the oil is to develop other activities such as tourism, hotels, airports” that are friendly and respect the environment, as well as the traditions of the inhabitants of the area, stressed the President.
Within this project, is expected to develop in Pañacocha and Cuyabeno, two communities in the Amazon region and area performance of Petroamazonas, basic services like clean water, system of management of waste, port infrastructure, generation of electricity, new housing, school, health center, among others.
Also expected to build a market and collection, Center and a hotel community.
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa explained that the cost of the power plant has been around 35 million dollars, but said that Ecuador will get 20 million dollars in bonds of carbon as compensation for reduced emissions. EFE/file
