Neuquén, epicenter of the oil show of the year: Villarruel on flash, advertisements for Mr. RIGI, record Vaca Muerta and a dance for US$180,000 million

Neuquén, epicenter of the oil show of the year: Villarruel on flash, advertisements for Mr. RIGI, record Vaca Muerta and a dance for US0,000 million

Daniel González RIGI Shell

As far as he could know Energy Reporthe Mr. RIGI -by Daniel Gonzalez– you will take a folder with you from your trip to Patagonia at least seven projects ready to analyze and sign, who need access to the large investment regime, which coincidentally, As of this Tuesday, the Government enabled by decree. Some of these projects involve installing LNG barges off the Atlantic coast, expanding gas pipelines, completing oil pipelines, building storage plants, hydrocarbon treatment industries, and other important works associated with increased production and export of oil and gas.

The truth is that the new secretary – it would be made official in the next few hours – will take the reins of an area that is on the rise, with a historical production record in more than 20 years due to the takeoff of Dead Cow. She and González have the mission of promoting investments as soon as possible. The need for dollars is never satisfied, and this is a great opportunity.

Vaca Muerta in numbers, the path to US$180,000 million

In Vaca Muerta, US$47 billion have sunk since 2013. In 2024 alone they will total US$11.5 billion, 75% more than last year. Estimates from private consultants indicate that although these investments served to exceed the 10% possible activity in Neuquén training, there is still a long way to go.

Vaca Muerta drilling equipment

According to Aleph Energy, Projects in the national hydrocarbon sector require an average investment of US$22.5 billion per year until 2031, a figure that doubles the current average. For the next eight years, They assure that a dance in investments of US$181,000 million is needed. Can it be achieved?

For infrastructure alone, the sector’s current large deficit, up to US$14,000 per year could be invested in oil and up to US$3,500 in gas, including LNG projects, but not the onshore plant that Petronas is planning. point of giving up. Shell Argentina and other major oil companies will announce that they are entering the business and replacing the Malaysians, with MOU agreements to be signed with YPF. That’s what he’ll talk about Horacio Marin in his public presentations this week.

Investment ranking in Vaca Muerta

In the week in which almost all the protagonists of Argentine oil and gas meet in Neuquenthe ranking of investments in Dead Cow since 2013.

  1. YPF US$26.4 billion
  2. PAE US$2.5 billion
  3. TotalEnergies US$2.4 billion
  4. Pluspetrol US$2.3 billion
  5. Shell Argentina US$2.18 billion
  6. Tecpetrol US$1,960 million
  7. Exxon US$1.6 billion
  8. View US$1,440 million
  9. Pampa Energía US$1,020 million

If there are any doubts about the “almost all”it can only be anticipated that neither Miguel Galuccioneither Marcos Bulgheroni are planning to visit the AOG Patagonia 2024. “They have other commitments,” they justified in their surroundings.

Vaca Muerta, the rura sheet: 80 drilling rigs, 15,000 workers and 2 million barrels of oil

And the prospects are on the rise. Gustavo MedeleMinister of Energy of Neuquén, told Más Energía. “Today we have 35-36 drilling rigs, with that plateau we can reach just over 800,000 barrels of oil per day, without taking into account productivity improvements.”

Gustavo Medele Minister of Energy of Neuquén

But for the minister, not only dollars will be missing. “It is estimated that in the next three years some 15,000 new employees will be needed, between the growth in activity, productivity improvements and people who are retiring. If all that is put on the table, it is possible that the basin absorb 80 drilling rigs and between 20 and 25 fracturing sets. With that, we can reach two million barrels of production.”he sentenced. The president of the IAPG will speak about this, Ernesto López Anadón, In his opening speech at the AOG Patagonia 2024 at Duam Space.

Ernesto López Anadón AOG 2019.jpg

Who is the leader of fracking in Argentina

According to the estimates of Luciano FucelloNCS country manager, Hydraulic fracturing activity in Vaca Muerta is expected to increase by 35% in 2025, compared to the slight slowdown felt at the end of 2024.

Today, Fucello records show that companies are only 885 fracture stages away from exceeding all the activity in 2024. From January to September, 13,837 punctures were already recorded in the shale segment, while in 2023 14,722 fractures were carried out.

According to the Economy & Energy report, from January to August they were connected 277 wells in the unconventional formation. Expert Nicolás Arceo revealed that 208 wells were destined for oil and 72 were directed for gas. The registry continues to be close to 40 wells per monthwhich will allow us to greatly exceed last year’s number of 20 wells per month.

The big player in the sector continues to be YPFthe company responsible for 48% of the fracture stages in Vaca Muerta. From January to September it counted 6,597 punctures. It is followed, further away, by Vista and PAE.

Record energy export figures, imports fall

Argentina has already exported fuel and energy for US$6,407 million so far this yearwhich represents an increase of 25.5% compared to the same period in 2023. In terms of imports, in these eight months they totaled US$3,250 million, a drop of 47.5% year-on-year.

Furthermore, according to official data, Hydrocarbon production in August was the highest in the last 20 years. Last month, Argentina produced 719.3 thousand barrels of oil per day and 153 million m3 of gas per day. This means year-on-year growth of 14% and 6.3% respectively.

Oil Exports Barco.jpg

Courtesy: La Mañana de Neuquén

In the first eight months of 2024, Crude oil was the country’s third exported product. It currently represents 6.9% of Argentina’s total exports. It amounted to US$3,582 million, 54.6% more year-on-year.

These figures allowed Chirillo to announce before leaving that The energy sector registered a trade surplus of US$610 million in September, reaching US$3,709 million in the nine months of the year. This means that Argentina exports more fuel and energy than it imports, adding more foreign currency to the country.

Oil, from Neuquén to the world

The Undersecretary of Public Revenue of Neuquén, Juan Martin Insúasaid in an interview with AM550 that the current production level of the Nequina Basin reached 109.9 MMm3/d of gas and 430,000 barrels of crude oil. These numbers imply that in six years gas production grew by 57.8% and oil production by 258%.

This level allowed the province to obtain hydrocarbon royalties for 1 billion pesos in the first nine months of the year, an improvement in real terms of 18% in September, compared to that same period of the previous year. “Today 30% of oil production goes to the export market,” said Insúa. However, that number does not stop growing.

The latest official data from Neuquen They point out that in September the 446,890 barrels per day of production. Is Argentina going from a country with oil to an oil nation?

Source: Ambito

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