This week marks a key moment for Vaca Muerta’s midstream sector.
On Thursday, Dec. 18, the Río Negro Provincial Secretariat for Environment and Climate Change will hold a public hearing for the Oleoducto Duplicar Norte pipeline project — the final formal step before construction begins.
The project, proposed by Oleoductos del Valle S.A. (Oldelval), aims to expand crude transport capacity with a new 24-inch, 207-kilometer pipeline. Construction was first announced in July after Oldelval signed contracts with the main operators in the northern Neuquén Basin hub: Pluspetrol, Chevron, Tecpetrol, and Gas y Petróleo del Neuquén. In its initial phase, the pipeline will transport 220,000 barrels per day, expandable to 300,000 and eventually 500,000 bpd.
The estimated investment is $380 million, targeting growing transport demand from Vaca Muerta. The route runs from the Puesto Hernández pumping station (Neuquén) to the new Allen pumping station (Río Negro). Allen is also the starting point for another major pipeline, Duplicar+, together forming a high-capacity logistics corridor from Neuquén Basin fields to storage, refining, and export centers.
Allen will also host an Automatic Measurement Unit to enable transfers of 20,000–45,000 m³/day between Oldelval and VMOS pumping stations. The project will operate under a “ship or pay” scheme with four main shippers. Early start-up is expected by late 2026, with full commissioning projected for the first quarter of 2027.
Oldelval estimates that once Duplicar Norte is operational, the northern hub of the Neuquén Basin will have sufficient transport capacity to fully develop its resources. The new pipeline will integrate into the trunk system, boosting total evacuation capacity and supporting future production growth.
The public hearing
The deadline to register for the hearing is Monday, Dec. 15. The event will take place on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 9 a.m. at the Secretariat of Energy and Environment in Cipolletti, at Los Sauces and Los Arrayanes. Provincial authorities, technical representatives, and the evaluation team will present the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) prepared by Confluencia Ambiente & Seguridad S.A., detailing the prevention, mitigation, and control measures included in the Environmental Management Plan to ensure compliance with provincial and national environmental regulations.