US$400mn Bolivia flagship natural gas project envisions power plant

A 140MW power plant has been included as part of the US$400mn development of Bolivia's Mayaya hydrocarbons field in the northern department of La Paz.

Armin Dorgathen, head of state hydrocarbons company YPFB, provided the update during a presentation where he highlighted that the plant would be built in Caranavi and correspond to the first phase of the field's buildout for up to 50Mf3/d of natural gas.

The phase includes an early production facility in Alto Beni and a 10-inch, 34km gas pipeline connecting Alto Beni and Caranavi, with initial work underway.

Mayaya is within the Lliquimuni area and holds an estimated 1.7Tf3 of natural gas and was previously highlighted by S&P Global as one of the world's 10 largest hydrocarbon discoveries of 2024.

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A second phase for up to 100Mf3/d would be comprised of a central processing facility in Alto Beni; a 16-inch, 180km gas pipeline from Caranavi to Janku Kala, near the capital La Paz; and a 10-inch, 34km Alto Beni-Caranavi pipeline loop.

A third and fourth phase for up to 200Mf3/d envisions compression stations in Coroico and Janku Kala, expansion of the Sica Sica and Totoroco compression stations, and pipeline loops El Tolar-Sica Sica (16-inch, 44km) and Sica Sica-Vila Vila (10-inch, 32km).

Dorgathen said the idea is for Mayaya, which is part of YPFB's upstream reactivation plan, to supply the west of Bolivia and leave gas produced in the south for export.

Additional wells are planned with the target of first gas in 2026-27, he added.