QCOSTARICA – Solgas and Petrogas which had lost its concessions previously, will be the new natural gas distributor after receiving approval by the Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía (Minae) to shore up the supply problems by the country’s largest distributor, Gas Zeta.
The company, which is expected to supply 25% of the market, began operations on Wednesday – the same day it received a 12 month temporary permit.
Awaiting an activation code by the Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo (Recope), the company will be supply natural gas to users in the provinces of Cartago and Limon.
Hugo Levi, company representative, explained that the company already has 6,000 brand new gas cylinders and 17,500 less than five years old, with a licensing committment to replace 1.500 of the oldest in the batch.
Levi added that at the end of the year, the Minae is expected to give the company a permanent concession to compete with Gas Zeta and Gaz Tomza (a division of Zeta).
The temporary permit comes after a week of supply problems by Zeta due to an internal company conflict that threatened a gas shortage.
