Vaca Muerta - Shale24

Of the six planned crude storage tanks, two units are already in an advanced stage of roof assembly.

Energy infrastructure

VMOS project advances Punta Colorada tanks, boosts Vaca Muerta export capacity

The Punta Colorada Terminal, the endpoint of the Vaca Muerta Oil Sur (VMOS) pipeline, is advancing with roof assembly on two of the six planned storage tanks. With total storage capacity of 720,000 cubic meters and an investment exceeding $3 billion, the project is designed to transport up to 550,000 barrels per day and establish a new crude export route from Río Negro province on Argentina’s Atlantic coast.

The swap with Pluspetrol could act as a catalyst to unlock the project

Strategic Reconfiguration

Argentina LNG: YPF consolidates high-density gas “sweet spots,” partners with Eni and ADNOC

The swap with Pluspetrol could act as a catalyst to unlock the project, where key players have already begun positioning themselves. By consolidating control over high-density gas areas, YPF is building the stable, large-scale supply base needed to make a megaproject like Argentina LNG financially viable.

The Trump administration announced the creation of “Project Vault,” a $12 billion strategic reserve of critical minerals.

International financing signals shift in bilateral relationship

Shale24 first reported: EXIM Bank reopens credit to Argentina, enables strategic financing for energy and critical minerals

The updated Country Limitation Schedule (CLS) allows short- and medium-term credit for Argentina’s public and private sectors. Within the framework of the Reciprocal Trade and Investment Agreement (ARTI), the EXIM Bank decision is set to support projects in Vaca Muerta, lithium and infrastructure, marking a key financial endorsement in the relationship between Buenos Aires and Washington.

ABB’s smart building solutions optimize energy consumption.

The “smart stadium” gains traction

ABB turns stadiums into smart ecosystems to boost efficiency and sustainability

Innovative solutions use energy-saving algorithms that evaluate the time of day, natural lighting and the total load on the power grid, ensuring stadiums operate at maximum efficiency regardless of the

Javier Milei and Donald Trump meet again in Davos, Switzerland.

Investments flow into Argentina

What is the energy multiplier, and why does it help the government attract dollars and boost activity amid global volatility?

These are critical days for Argentina’s economic dynamics. The energy sector is bringing in dollars through financing, while sectors tied to the RIGI are driving domestic activity. New regulations are creating incentives to capitalize on the favorable momentum in emerging markets.

The assets add about 21,869 boe/d to Vista based on Q3 2025 production.

Premium shale oil blocks

Vista Energy accelerates in Vaca Muerta with $712 million Equinor asset purchase, solidifying independent producer leadership

The net contribution of these assets to Vista is significant, adding approximately 21,869 boe/d (based on Q3 2025 production at post-deal stakes) and 54 million boe of additional proven reserves.

Shell holds a significant position in Vaca Muerta, with operated majority stakes in four key blocks.

Production, blocks and reserves

Analysis: Shell weighs Vaca Muerta divestment; what its Argentina shale stake is worth

The Anglo-Dutch oil company is weighing a sale of its assets in the Neuquén shale formation, valued in the billions of dollars, amid a global reshuffling of its energy portfolio.

Horacio Marín’s YPF took control of 100% of the Meseta Buena Esperanza, Aguada Villanueva and Las Tacanas blocks in Vaca Muerta.

New agreements

YPF expects additional 20% jump in Vaca Muerta gas output after Pluspetrol swap

YPF and Pluspetrol sealed a cashless asset swap that will allow the state-controlled oil company to consolidate full control of three key areas in Vaca Muerta, while the private firm repositions itself in high-potential blocks through Vaca Muerta Inversiones.

Energy trade balance: Evolution, 2004–2005 ($ millions)

Record Exports

Energy surplus: Drivers, debates, signals and projections behind the expected leap in 2026

In 2025, Argentina recorded the largest energy trade surplus in its history. In the coming years, that record could be surpassed as projects approved and under review through the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI) move forward. Some analysts forecast an energy trade balance generating a combined $48 billion by 2030 and $67 billion by 2035.

Interviewed by Larry Fink, BlackRock CEO, Elon Musk said that energy is a bottleneck.

Analysis

AI and energy at Davos: Argentina’s surplus and the new paradigm from Musk, Schmidt, Hassabis and Amodei on Vaca Muerta

Argentina’s economy is entering a strategic moment, driven by the rise of its energy and mining sectors, within a global context where major powers are seeking critical resources from allies to strengthen “friendly” supply chains.

After integrating the fully operated Loma Jarillosa Este block and Puesto Silva Oeste, the company is preparing a drilling program.

Good results

GeoPark accelerates its expansion in Vaca Muerta, with new wells, a long-term plan and backing from JP Morgan with a price target of $11 per share

After successfully integrating the Loma Jarillosa Este block, which it operates 100%, and Puesto Silva Oeste, the company is preparing an aggressive drilling program and reinforcing its strategy for sustained growth.

Vaca Muerta oil and gas production over time.

2025 Production Overview

Vaca Muerta is achieving the scale, technology, and execution that are redefining the energy map

With unconventional oil growing at an annual rate of 31% and gas keeping pace in the flagship basin, Argentina is sending a clear signal to international markets: the country has a world-class shale play.

Financial engineering in Vaca Muerta

How YPF’s swap with Pluspetrol clears the path for the LNG project

Both companies signed an asset swap agreement. YPF acquires Pluspetrol’s stake in the Meseta Buena Esperanza, Aguada Villanueva and Las Tacanas blocks, three areas considered strategic for the development of the Argentina LNG project. Pluspetrol, in turn, acquires an interest in the La Escalonada and Rincón de Ceniza blocks.

Crude oil exports hit a record in 2025, cementing themselves as one of the sector’s main sources of foreign currency generation.

Thanks to Vaca Muerta, in 2025 seven out of every ten dollars of Argentina’s overall trade surplus came from the energy trade balance

In 2025, Argentina’s energy sector posted a trade surplus of $7.815 billion, representing 70% of the country’s total annual trade surplus. In December, oil production reached a record 868,712 barrels per day.

The crossing is being carried out at an approximate depth of 30 meters below the riverbed.

Vaca Muerta Oil Sur

VMOS: What the Río Negro crossing involves, the technique used by Techint-SACDE, and what comes next for the project

Preparatory work is underway for the directional drilling on the north bank, while on the south bank a welded and hydrostatically tested pipe section is ready for insertion, with additional works still pending at the site.

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