Argentina and Chile signed an agreement to create a bi-national entity (Ebilenas) for the construction of a $1.2 billion road project, the International Las Lenas Pass Tunnel. The new road will connect Argentina and Chile across the Andes, between the city of San Rafael in Argentina and the Region of Bernardo O’Higgins in Chile. The 13 km Las Lenas tunnel will be built at a lower height (2,260 metres in Argentina and 2,040 in Chile) and will allow regular travel even in the winter months, reducing traffic and travel time on the Paso Cristo Redentor, now the only link between Mendoza and the Chilean capital. The agreement states that both countries will complete additional work in their own territory. Chile will build approximately 13 km of roads to the tunnel’s access road and Argentina will make 70 km of internal road connections passable.
Australia: Perth 18th International LNG Fair
The 18th International Conference and Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas, “LNG 18”, was held in Perth, Australia. The dedicated LNG gathering, a major global event held every three years, attracted about 5,000 delegates and more than 250 exhibitors from 60 countries, including Italy with exhibition booths by ENI, Saipem, GE Nuovo Pignone and Stamperia Carcano. Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said at the conference the Australian LNG industry has grown over the past five to ten years, and by 2020 Australia will be able to provide about 40% of China’s and Japan’s imports of liquefied natural gas and 25% of South Korea’s. Premier of Western Australia Colin Barnett said Western Australia may consider taking on the role of an energy supplier for the European market in the future.