In this sense, the board of the Uruguayan oil company, ANCAP, is adopting measures to face the problems caused by sodium and chlorides in the production process of the fuel refinery of La Teja.

Ancap’s president, Alejandro Stipanicic, said they are analyzing bringing water from the Uruguay river with the company’s barges and leasing a water treatment plant from OSE for treatment.

Stipanicic indicated they are analyzing all variables in permanent contact with OSE and the National Emergency System (Sinae) in order to avoid the need to shut down the plant.

The facility uses about 200,000 liters of OSE water per hour for fuel production.

“Water from OSE or surface waterways has never been a problem in Uruguay. This is the first time in Uruguay’s history that it has happened,” the executive said.

He indicated the refinery needs potable quality water to be treated inside the plant for steam production.

“When the electrical conductivity rises, it increases corrosion phenomena in the equipment, in the boilers that generate steam, and that can lead to punctures and the boilers going out of service,” he explained to the newspaper Caras y Caretas.

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