Shell's Argentine Refinery to Reopen Tuesday - Govt
Date: 12-Sep-07
Country: ARGENTINA
The Dock Sud refinery, which refines about 100,000 barrels
of crude per day was closed by the government last week on the
grounds that environmental officials had detected leaks and
contamination in soil samples at the facility.
"(Shell) presented a plan for environmental improvements
and the closure will be lifted tomorrow (Tuesday)," a spokesman
at the Environment Secretariat told Reuters.
No one at Shell in Argentina could immediately be reached
to comment about the government's statement.
Following the refinery's closure on Wednesday, Shell
defended its environmental record and warned of possible
domestic energy shortages in the South American country.
The issue has deepened a long-running dispute between Shell
and the center-left government of President Nestor Kirchner,
which has clashed with the oil major over energy prices and
supplies.
In 2005, Kirchner exhorted Argentines to boycott Shell's
products after it raised prices.
Gasoline and diesel prices have been virtually frozen in
Argentina for more than four years due to a tacit agreement
between oil companies and the government reached during the
nation's 2001-2002 economic crisis.
