Vaca Muerta

Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale formation has “enormous potential” and natural gas will form an important part of energy strategy in post-coronavirus Argentina, according to Dr. Javier Papa, Argentina’s undersecretary of energy planning at the Energy Secretariat.  Speaking at the “Insights for defining Latin America’s regional energy agenda for a Post-Covid-19 era” virtual event organized by…

Natural gas production in Argentina fell by 14.1% year/year in August to 124.1 million cubic meters/day (MMm3/d), or 4.38 Bcf/d, according to the latest report by the IAE Argentine Energy Institute. Production was down from 4.47 Bcf/d in July.  Analysts attributed the drop to restrictions in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Argentina has had…

Argentina’s Energy Secretary Dario Martínez spoke virtually with Brazil Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque on Tuesday to discuss further energy integration between the two countries. Part of the discussion revolved around a natural gas scheme to boost production in Argentina set to be announced “soon” that could benefit Brazil gas consumers, according to a statement from…

Macroeconomic and political uncertainty could stymie development of Argentina’s vast Vaca Muerta shale play in western Argentina, leading to a greater need for natural gas imports. “There is a lot of uncertainty because of the exchange rate, macroeconomic conditions, and fracking activity which is almost halted, not only due to the pandemic effect but because…

A potential natural gas pipeline hooking up Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale formation to southern Brazil will cost about $5 billion and “pose financial challenges,” according to Buenos Aires-based Wood Mackenzie. “Southern Brazil remains the most attractive regional market for potential excess gas production from Argentina,” Wood Mackenzie principal Ignacio Rooney told NGI’s Shale Daily. However,…

Natural gas production in Argentina fell by 12.2% year/year in July to 126.8 million cubic meters/day (MMm3/d), or 4.47 Bcf/d, according to the latest report by the IAE Argentine Energy Institute. Production was essentially flat compared to June.  Analysts attributed the drop to restrictions in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Argentina has had one…

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández, in a meeting with new energy secretary Darío Martínez last week, said the country needed to stimulate oil and gas production as a road to national economic development. In the presidential residence in Olivos last Thursday, Fernández echoed what he said last year during campaigning. The energy sector was key to…

Argentina’s government on Monday announced that Darío Martínez would take over from Sergio Lanziani as the Energy Secretary, the top position in the energy sector. Martínez was head of the energy committee in the lower house. He previously worked for state energy firm YPF SA, and he hails from Neuquén Province, where most of the…

Although not yet official, Argentina is reportedly set to launch a tender program aimed at guaranteeing the country’s natural gas supply for the upcoming four years. The proposed tender system would consist of a four-year block auction mechanism starting in October, which would differentiate offers for the peak winter season and the rest of the…