As part of the Argentine G20 energy meetings, senior energy officials of G20 member and guest countries visited the headquarters of INVAP, in Bariloche, in the southern Argentine region of Patagonia.
The energy ministers and heads of delegations, who were welcomed by Juan José Aranguren, Argentina’s Minister of Energy and Mining; Alberto Weretilneck, governor of the province of Río Negro; and the company’s managers, had the opportunity to explore INVAP’s achievements over the last 40 years in the nuclear, space, defence and security, medical and technological fields.
During the tour, they visited the satellite integration area, or “clean room”, where they were able to observe the SAOCOM 1A satellites – which will be launched in the last quarter of 2018 – and the SAOCOM 1B satellites, in their different stages of integration. These Earth observing systems are designed specifically to prevent, monitor, mitigate and assess natural and man-made disasters, by measuring soil humidity and its applications in the event of an emergency, such as the detection of hydrocarbon spills in the sea, or the monitoring of water levels during flooding.
The ministers also visited CEATSA, a high-tech company founded in 2010 after an agreement between the Argentine satellite manufacturer ARSAT S.A. and INVAP that provides environmental testing services.
The G20 Meeting of Energy Ministers will continue this evening with a working dinner at El Casco Art Hotel, before continuing tomorrow at the Llao Llao Hotel & Resort with working plenary sessions and presentations from renowned experts from the industry and international energy organizations.