Construction of the new Talara refinery is more than 90% complete

The President of the Board of PETROPERU, Eduardo Guevara Dodds, appeared before the Energy and Mines Commission of the Congress of the Republic, where he presented on the progress made in the implementation of the Surveillance, Prevention and Control Plan of COVID-19 in the Talara Refinery Modernization Project (PMRT) and the Modular Hospital that the state company will donate for the benefit of the population of the oil province.

Guevara Dodds began his presentation by highlighting the importance of this megaproject, which is 90.02% complete and which when starting operations will supply the country with clean fuels that contribute to improving the air quality of the national territory. He also specified that the state-of-the-art technology implemented will allow the development of the staff of the first company in the country.

He reported that the construction works that were restarted in mid-June, gradually and progressively, are being carried out in strict compliance with the protocols approved and established in the surveillance, prevention and control plans of COVID-19 for this project, presented by PETROPERU and its contracting companies.

In this sense, he explained that all workers who enter the PMRT previously go through a rapid test to discard COVID-19 and fill out the symptom file. On site, they are obliged to follow the protocols established by the Company and which are framed in the plans approved by the ministries of Health and Energy and Mines, among which the permanent use of protective and biosafety equipment, hand washing for guarantee personal hygiene and social distancing. The work areas go through cleaning and disinfection processes.

On-site medical surveillance is permanent and is in charge of 190 people who make up PETROPERU's health teams, contractors and subcontractors, who are supervising that all workers comply with the implemented protocols.

Guevara Dodds reported that there is a new work schedule, which has been modified considering the work stoppage that occurred in March with the declaration of the State of National Emergency. In this sense, he specified that the start of operations of the Talara Refinery process units is scheduled for the end of November 2021. As important milestones, he indicated that at the end of this year the backup power line will be completed and in January 2021 with the start-up of the water treatment plant.

Modular Hospital

The Chairman of the Board also reported on the implementation of the Modular Hospital that PETROPERU will donate to ESSALUD, for the benefit of the population of Talara. He specified that, according to the schedule, the medical establishment will be ready at the end of September, with 30 beds for hospitalization of moderate COVID-19 patients and 15 to attend to serious patients who require attention in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The implementation of the Modular Hospital will be in charge of the Satec Aceromex S.A. - IRPM Latam SAC Consortium, which in the coming days will begin field work on the esplanade of ESSALUD Hospital II, to later continue with the assembly and installation of the infrastructure that will be built in a reference hospital area of 450 square meters and will have a shelf life of approximately 15 years.

The operation and maintenance of the Modular Hospital will be in charge of ESSALUD, an institution that will assume the provision of professional and technical personnel, as well as supplies and medications for the treatment of patients.