South Korea will pursue five energy and infrastructure development projects in
Venezuela worth US$11.1 billion that could open new business opportunities for
local companies in the South American country, the government said
Wednesday.
The Ministry of Knowledge Economy said it signed four
memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and one letter of intent (LOI) with
Venezuela's energy and oil ministry in Seoul.
The deals cover the
building of pipelines, storage and harbor facilities for oil, a petroleum coke
power generation plant and an oil refinery project as well as the building of a
petrochemical facility.
The MOUs and LOI call for work to be carried
out between South Korean companies and state-run oil operator Petroleo de
Venezuela S.A. and Petroquimica de Venezuela S.A., a leading petrochemical
company. Local companies to be engaged in the works are Daewoo Engineering &
Construction Co., STX Construction Co., Hyundai Engineering & Construction
Co. and SK Engineering & Construction Co.
Venezuela is estimated
to have the second largest crude oil reserves in the world and has large
reserves of natural gas and coal.
The ministry in charge of the
country's industrial and energy policies also said Seoul and Caracas have
reached a framework agreement to permit South Korean companies to take part in a
$10.4 billion liquefied natural gas project.
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