B -- TECPETROL FRACTURE CHARACTERIZATION PROJECT, ARGENTINA

Notice Date

October 15, 2001

Contracting Office

USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131

ZIP Code

22209-2131

Response Due

December 3, 2001

Point of Contact

POC -- Evangela Kunene, USTDA, 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009

Description

The Grantee invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the "Proposal") from interested U.S. firms which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to conduct Technical Assistance (TA) to assist Tecpetrol in improving their production efficiencies with a focus on three key areas: (1) opening up formerly non-productive formations in existing wells, (2) extending the life in productive zones nearing depletion, (3) completing new wells by fracture treating up to four tight zones. The El Tordillo field, Tecpetrol's principal oil reservoir, is located 25 miles due west of Comodoro Rivadavia in the Province of Chubut in Argentina. Tecpetrol S.A. is acting as operator and on behalf of the "UTE El Tordillo" (a consortium among Tecpetrol S.A., YPF S. A., Petrolera Santa Fe S.A. and Energy Development Corporation (Argentina) Inc. for the exploration, exploitation and development of the "El Tordillo" oilfield). Tecpetrol, S.A. is a private, Argentine oil and gas exploration and development company that is part of the Techint Group. The El Tordillo reservoir, the location of the proposed project, is part of a highly complex geological system that contains three principal oil-producing formations. Over time, there has been a relatively rapid depletion in the more permeable horizons, with substantial reserves left behind in the tight zones. It is expected that this project will lead to the development of a methodology that will stimulate tight formations, remove formation damage in key reservoirs, and improve productivity through a combination of activities including electric logging, stimulating low-permeability intervals through multiple fracture treatments, and squeezing off high-water formations through straddle cement squeezes. The proposed Technical Assistance and proposed project is designed to develop an application of fracture technology that will permit "UTE El Tordillo", in their existing operations in the Golfo de San Jorge Basin, to pinpoint and fracture treat potentially productive horizons that will respond to such multiple fracture treatments and thereby optimize their well production. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $500,000 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA). In addition to the TDA grant funding provided, the Grantee shall be responsible for ensuring that the Grantee cover at least US$146,000 of in-kind costs to complete the full Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Technical Assistance. Of this amount, the Grantee anticipates providing at least US$74,500 of in-kind services and paying the balance directly to the Contractor for services under the TOR. A detailed Request for Proposals (RFP), which includes requirements for the Proposal, the TOR, and a background definitional mission report are available from TDA, at 1621 N. Kent Street, Suite 200, Arlington, VA 22209-2131. Requests for the RFP should be faxed to the IRC, TDA at 703-875-4009. In the fax, please include your firm's name, contact person, address, and telephone number. Some firms have found that RFP materials sent by U.S. mail do not reach them in time for preparation of an adequate response. Firms that want TDA to use an overnight delivery service should include the name of the delivery service and your firm's account number in the request for the RFP. Firms that want to send a courier to TDA to retrieve the RFP should allow one hour after faxing the request to TDA before scheduling a pick-up. Please note that no telephone requests for the RFP will be honored. Please check your internal fax verification receipt. Because of the large number of RFP requests, TDA cannot respond to requests for fax verification. Requests for RFPs received before 4:00 PM will be mailed the same day. Requests received after 4:00 PM will be mailed the following day. Please check with your courier and/or mail room before calling TDA. Only U.S. firms and individuals may bid on this TDA financed activity. Interested firms, their subcontractors and employees of all participants must qualify under TDA's nationality requirements as of the due date for submission of qualifications and proposals and, if selected to carry out the TDA-financed activity, must continue to meet such requirements throughout the duration of the TDA-financed activity. All goods and services to be provided by the selected firm shall have their nationality, source and origin in the U.S. or host country. The U.S. firm may use subcontractors from the host country for up to 20 percent of the TDA grant amount. Details of TDA's nationality requirements and mandatory contract clauses are also included in the RFP. Interested U.S. firms should submit their Proposal in English directly to the Grantee by 5:00 p.m., December 3, 2001 at the above address. Evaluation criteria for the Proposal are included in the RFP. Price will not be a factor in contractor selection, and therefore, cost proposals should NOT be submitted. The Grantee reserves the right to reject any and/or all Proposals. The Grantee also reserves the right to contract with the selected firm for subsequent work related to the project. The Grantee is not bound to pay for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of Proposals.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20011017/BSOL001.HTM (W-288 SN5106D8)