MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Breaking News from Pta. Arenas.

Headlines:
“Whale sound” experience in Carlos III Island; Argentine gas crisis will not affect Punta Arenas; Sky open coal mine to begin operations in Magallanes.

"Whale sound" experience in Carlos III Island

"Whale sound" is the name of an ambitious nature and science project, mainly whale sight seeing that has been started in Magallanes and has the island of Carlos III as its main attraction. The long planned project of Chilean marine biologist Carlos Valladares successfully managed this season its first nine cruises, a three days two nights guided experience that demands nine hours of sailing before reaching Carlos III Island. From the island hump whales can be seen swimming peacefully, sea lions, penguins plus a rookery in Rupert island, and scubas and cormorants, all of them enjoying their habitat. Hellen Fell who runs the cruise business said the basic idea comes from New Zealand, one of the leading countries in the business. "We are totally committed to the environment and conservation, that is the essence of the science and tourism symbiosis of this project", said Ms. Fell. "Facilities include five modules with double rooms, Japanese beds, sleeping bags, hot shower plus a small kitchen and mess room. It's all ecological, solar panels and a generator for emergencies; sewage is brought back to Punta Arenas; we try our best not be intrusive with the environment". To get to the island and back "we have a quick vessel with which we also visit a glacier in the island of Santa Inés and sail the channels in the area plus trekking along the Patagonia woods; a wonderful experience". According to Ms. Fell this season most visitors were Chileans closely related to the scientific community.

Argentine gas crisis will not affect Punta Arenas

The Argentine government restriction to its natural gas surplus exports should have no impact in the supply to Magallanes region, said Chile's government oil company ENAP sources in Punta Arenas. Gasco Magallanes responsible for the distribution of natural gas for residential consumption in Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales and Porvenir indicated the Argentine situation does not affect the company since "our only supplier is ENAP". The same applies to the natural gas supplied to the local electricity generating plant, Edelmag. "The distribution of natural gas to our customers has been completely assured in all possible scenarios by our supplier", highlighted Peter Schnohl, CEO of Gasco Magallanes. ENAP sources indicated that gas provision in Magallanes is entirely from Chilean production with no dependence on Argentine supply. However the same can't be said of the methanol plant, Mehtanex, the area's main industry that depends on 55% of natural gas from Argentina. "We have permanent natural gas supply contracts with YPF, Pan Americana Fueguina, Pioneer Natural Resources and Sipetrol Argentina and it reaches our three module plant through a 110 miles Enap managed pipeline from Poseidon. The Argentines have assured us there will be no supply problems", indicated Roger Neumann from Methanex. Mr. Neumann revealed that before making the huge investment in the Cabo Negro methanol plant, Methanex executives talked directly with the international head quarters of the Argentine suppliers who guaranteed the provision of gas. "Our dependency will become even larger in the first half of 2005 when we inaugurate the fourth module of our plant: Argentine natural gas will then represent 75%, with ENAP dropping from the current 45 to 25%", admitted Mr. Neumann. ENAP' CEO Daniel Fernández was rather more cautious when interviewed by the Chilean press regarding the Argentine government decision. "It all boils down to how you define "natural gas surplus exports", and if this will allow suppliers to provide above contract volumes or above average provision in a certain period of time", said Mr. Fernández.

Sky open coal mine to begin operations in Magallanes

A sky open coal mine project will begin operating in the coming 12 to 18 months following the approval of the environmental assessment paper reports La Prensa Austral from Punta Arenas. The Bitsch coal deposit to the north of Punta Arenas will be exploited by Minera Otway that is planning an annual full extraction of 350,000 tons of sub-bituminous mineral coal to supply the Chilean thermo-electric market. "The coal will not be stored at the mine but transported every day for its shipment from the Pecket jetty. That means 38 trips per day, in full production, 3 to 4 trips per truck so we can manage with a fleet of ten units", indicated Pedro Courard from Minera Otway. However the project did not receive a unanimous approval from the Regional Environment Committee which has 19 members between local and national government officials and elected Councillors. Only thirteen actually showed up for the final vote, six full members and seven subrogates with the score recording 12 in favour and just one abstention. Councillor Flor Mayorga argued for further environmental assessment studies based on a request from the regional National Tourist Office objecting to the heavy trucks traffic in Magallanes main routes "through which 300,000 tourists travel annually, including the gravel track that leads to the Otway rookery which every year receives 50,000 visitors". "It is estimated that heavy duty trucks will be making 2,280 trips per month, interfering with tourist access to the region's main attractions, plus the safety risks involved with such a traffic and the damage to the road system", wrote Miguel Angel Muñoz Director of the regional National Tourist Office manager. Mr. Courard from Minera Otway anticipated the company would respond and help with the upkeep of the routes "as long as we're responsible for the damage".