Domestic market consists of different firms like Metrogas –which supplies the Metropolitan region- owned by Gasco, Copec and Trigas; Gas Valpo, property of Emif and Access; Gassur, owned by Gasco and Sask Energy; and Gasco Magallanes, also from Gasco.
Even though these companies are currently delivering natural gas to the residential and industrial sector, the aim is to promote the diversification of the energy grid with CNG as a fuel option for transportation. Currently, Chile has 15 filling stations supplying natural gas, 8 of them located in Santiago and all under Gazel’s flag.
“However, we have a significant obstacle that stops this market growth,” says Carlos Cortés, executive secretary of the Natural Gas Distributors Association A.G., and details that there is 10 year-old resolution from Transports Ministry which states that only taxis and light and medium duty fleets for commercial services can switch to CNG, as long as they have up to 5 or 7 years old, limiting considerably the universe of potential users of the fuel.
In turn, businessmen’s plans involve overcoming this current law and follow Punta Arenas initiative by developing a competitive market and boosting the use of methane as a main fuel in all segments of Chilean transportation.
