Amerisur makes good progress on Colombia-to-Ecuador oil pipeline

Amerisur Resources was making good progress on its Colombia-to-Ecuador oil pipeline system on Thursday, as it updated the market on the Oleoducto Binacional Amerisur (OBA).

Its aim was to connect the Plantillo (Colombia) and Victor Hugo Ruales (VHR, Ecuador) oilfields.

The AIM-traded oil and gas producer said all permissions relating to the pipeline were now granted, and the company had begun to drill and install the under-river pipe, which was expected to take 35 days.

Amerisur and its contractors had also commenced the construction, corrosion-proofing, testing and burial of the outstanding 3.9km (2.42mi) of pipeline from the VHR-20 location to the point of landfall of the under-river crossing.

Civil works at the OBA reception station, and the 5,000 barrel reception tank within the VHR facilities in Ecuador were completed, the company confirmed, with other piping and instrumentation now 72% complete.

"The delivery of the OBA has been a key strategic priority for the company and I am delighted to announce that all of the approvals have now been granted to allow us to complete its construction, which is expected to take approximately 35 days," said Amerisur CEO John Wardle.

"This is a transformational project for the Company and I look forward to updating shareholders following testing of the pipeline," he added.

Operational testing and commissioning of the pipeline, measurement and export pumping systems were expected to be performed in late March, followed by first transport.