Key Export Infrastructure
Between Dec. 26 and 30, 2025, the tanker VS Pride loaded 71,000 cubic meters of crude from producers in Argentina’s Neuquén Basin destined for the United States.
The export was carried out from Posta de Inflamables No. 3 in Puerto Galván, a storage and loading terminal for flammable liquids, using the logistical system of the Bahía Blanca refinery.
The key element of this operation was the use of a new pipeline, a strategic investment by Trafigura and Oldelval, which directly connects the main pipeline system to the Posta de Inflamables No. 3 in Puerto Galván. This connection removes operational constraints and optimizes throughput capacity.
Step Change: Speed and Efficiency
The VS Pride—a 228-meter-long vessel—combined with the new pipeline branch, allowed the Bahía Blanca refinery, in coordination with the Puerto Rosales consortium, to maximize logistical efficiency by directly linking Neuquén Basin production with international markets.
The operation cements Trafigura as a strategic logistics partner for Vaca Muerta crude, showing that investments in transport infrastructure are key to scaling the region’s export profile.
The pipeline was inaugurated in early November 2025 and represents a strategic channel in Argentina’s crude transport system, improving operational flexibility and export capacity from the Neuquén Basin.
The new 14-inch-diameter, 11-kilometer pipeline connects Oldelval’s Allen–Puerto Rosales main system to the Bahía Blanca refinery and required an investment of more than $30 million.
One of Trafigura’s main strategies is deploying infrastructure, market expertise, and a logistics network to move oil, petroleum products, metals, minerals, gas, and energy from production points to demand centers. At the same time, the company aims to build strong local partnerships to strengthen supply chains, making them more efficient, safe, and sustainable.
Trafigura also owns industrial assets and operational businesses, including the fuel storage and distribution company Puma Energy. The group employs more than 14,500 people, over 1,400 of whom are shareholders, and operates in more than 150 countries.