Work is starting to get underway at Mexico's new Bicentennial refinery at Tula
By Juan García Heredia
El Sol de Mexico
Work at Mexico's new Bicentennial refinery is scheduled to pick up full steam in June as perimeter fencing, relocation of irrigation canals, relocation of CFE pylons, recruitment of engineering for pipelines, technology licensing, and construction of access road and buildings get underway.
Furthermore, bidding for much of the work to be completed at the $9 billion project at Tula in the state of Hidalgo begins and continues throughout the rest of the year.
The Bicentennial refinery is the first new refinery in Mexico in over 30 years. It is scheduled to start operating with an output of 300,000 barrels of oil per day in 2015.
It already has sparked controversy, most notably with accusations of fraud and undue influence in the competition among states putting up land in order to be awarded the project, which is expected to provide considerable employment and development opportunities.
But questions also have been raised about as-of-yet-unresolved crude oil production issues facing Pemex and, perhaps most importantly, the global shift in policy direction toward reduced gasoline consumption.
A Pemex report, which Pemex CEo provided to the Mexican Senate last week, notes that hiring of engineering firms tor the pipelines will begin in June and that contracts for other parts of the project will continue throughout 2011.
