Peru this month prepared to launch its second attempt to develop the Camisea gas fields, potentially massive natural gas deposits that underlie one of the world’s most pristine expanses of rainforest. Despite top-level personnel shakeups in the special committee charged with overseeing the Camisea auction, President Alberto Fujimori has been determined to ensure bidding on the estimated $3 billion project gets under way, as scheduled, at the end of May. Jorge Chamot, head of a new government panel formed to oversee the bidding, has offered few details on the exact timing and requirements of the bidding process. But he says winners of the two concessions at stake will be announced over the next six months. An earlier effort to tap the Camisea fields stalled... [Log in to read more]