Page 14 - LatAmOil Week 09 2021
P. 14
LatAmOil ARGENTINA LatAmOil
Head of PAE comments on
Vaca Muerta gas prospects
MARCOS Bulgheroni, the CEO of Argenti- for Vaca Muerta gas.
na’s Pan American Energy (PAE), has said that “Now the big question mark is how do we ful-
export-oriented investments and support- fil this potential by connecting the local market
ive policy will help facilitate the development first with the regional market, but also with the
of unconventional gas resources in the Vaca international gas market,” he said, according to
Muerta shale basin. Reuters.
Speaking at the CERAWeek conference on Investors should therefore consider
March 3, Bulgheroni declared that the Vaca export-oriented projects, such as overland pipe-
Muerta formation was nearly at the point of line shipments to neighbouring countries and
being able to realise its potential. “The basin is LNG exports to markets in Asia, he continued.
at an inflection point,” he was quoted as saying He did not advocate for any specific projects,
by Reuters. but Reuters noted that Argentina’s government
“We have been investing heavily for the last has suggested building a new pipeline capable
decade in the basin, and the investment is pay- of pumping large amounts of Vaca Muerta gas
ing off. It is now ready to accelerate its potential,” along a 1,400-km route to Brazil.
he remarked. The national oil company (NOC) YPF and
PAE is not the only company interested in other operators have discussed plans for future
ramping up activity at Vaca Muerta fields, he LNG exports, but so far, the South American
added. Other upstream operators are interested country has not been able to sustain such a plan.
in stepping up their activity in order to take YPF did export several LNG cargoes within the
advantage of increased drilling efficiency, he framework of the Tango LNG project, but it ter-
said. minated its charter for a floating LNG (FLNG)
He also argued, though, that Argen- vessel ahead of schedule last year, explaining that
tina would have difficulty monetising these the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had
resources unless it was able to secure markets undermined the scheme’s viability.
Vaca Muerta is one of the world’s largest shale basins (File Photo)
P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 09 04•March•2021
