Brief Historical Review:

Petroterminal de Panama began the operation of the trans-isthmian pipeline at the end of 1982.  Its main function was the movement of crude oil from the Charco Azul terminal at the Pacific Ocean to the Chiriqui Grande terminal at the Atlantic Ocean, passing through 8 districts of the Chiriqui Province and through 1 of the then existing 3 districts in the province of Bocas del Toro in the Republic of Panama. Nowadays, we have moved more than two billion barrels of oil in this direction.

Due to new current trends regarding oil around the world, the Petroterminal de Panama, S.A. project contemplates that the trans-isthmian pipeline could work both ways. In other words, not only could the product flow from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, but in the opposite direction.  The first phase consists in reversing the pipeline flow from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the expansion of the storage facilities with the construction of new tanks at both terminals. During construction, the total labor is estimated at 200 units for the Pacific Terminal and 300 for the Atlantic Terminal.

Scope of Projects

First Phase - Atlantic Terminal/Pacific Terminal:

The project includes the construction of steel tanks with a total capacity of approximately 1.4 million additional barrels, as well as, pipes, pumps, security systems and facilities necessary for the proper functioning of the system.

Transshipment will be performed through VLCCs using the existing SBM buoys and submarine pipeline.

Pipeline Reversal (Atlantic - Pacific):

Since 1982, the trans-isthmian pipeline has been operating from the Pacific to the Atlantic; the pumping operation consists in transporting crude oil from the tanks located at the Pacific Terminal to the tanks at the Atlantic Terminal.

Oil Spill Contingency Plan:

The pipeline Operations and Maintenance Plan include the provision of an appropriately trained staff and technological equipment in order to handle these emergencies. The equipment is located at strategic points along the pipeline, and is available 24 hours