Argentina oil export requests inch up in December but volume plunges

The number of oil and gasoline export requests being published in Argentina is trending up.

Officials published 35 in December, after logging 34 in November, 31 in October and 26 in September, according to data from the federal energy department. 

Overall, requests from 23 companies were published, compared with 27 firms in November, 24 in October and 21 in September. Requests from 27 were filed in August.

Together, the firms sought authorization to ship 612,201m3, a marked drop compared with the 1.1 million cubic meters in requests logged in November. 

The bulk of requests corresponded to roughly 30-day periods in February-April. The biggest single request, for 90,000m3, was filed by Compañia de Hidrocarburo no Convencional, a Vaca Muerta shale play-focused unit linked to national oil company YPF and US player Chevron.

Upstream firms, chiefly in the Neuquén basin, are pressing the production accelerator, with appetites whetted by attractive prices in the export market and geopolitical shifts. 

Last quarter pipeline operator Oldelval confirmed it would increase the capacity of a pipeline expansion project – running between the basin and export facilities in Buenos Aires province – following strong demand for space on the new duct from producers. An Argentina-Chile export pipeline, which is being de-mothballed and could enter service this year, is also due to help ease congestion and support production.

In parallel, Argentina’s federal energy department approved a 10-year extension of a concession held by oil terminal logistics company Oiltanking Ebytem, along with an associated US$72mn investment plan. The company – which operates at hydrocarbons logistics hub Puerto Rosales, which Oldelval feeds oil into – has outlined where it plans to deploy the funds. Target projects include new tanks and a dock.

PRODUCTION, EXPORTS, IMPORTS

In January-November, Neuquén province – home to the bulk of the Vaca Muerta unconventional formation and the Neuquén basin – exported around 19.7Mb (million barrels), the equivalent of 21% of the jurisdiction’s production.

In November, the export tally was 2.23Mb, or 24% of output, with the average price registering at US$79/b, the provincial government said in a statement. Twelve companies exported that month, including, for the first time, provincial energy firm Gas y Petróleo del Neuquén (GyP), which shipped 12,550b to a Brazilian refinery. GyP has previously exported through consortiums it has stakes in.

The chief exporters were Vista Energy (851,000b), Compañía de Hidrocarburos No Convencional (472,000b), and Shell Argentina (430,000b).

In the previous month, October, overall Argentine oil output averaged 98,400m3/d (618,917b/d), up 2.6% month-on-month and 13.9% year-on-year, according to data in a report by energy think tank General Mosconi Institute. Unconventional oil output averaged 43,800m3/d, up 4.2% month-on-month and 40.4% year-on-year. 

Total exports in October were 548,700m3, down 3.5% month-on-month but up 11.0% year-on-year. Argentina imported 212,400m3 diesel and 118,600m3 gasoline.

In related news, officials are still working on detailed regulations for a production incentives scheme that eases capital controls for companies that ramp up oil and gas output, local media outlet Energía On said.

OIL AND GASOLINE EXPORT REQUESTS PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER

ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina: One request for 10,000m3
Petronas: One request for 75,000m3
Enap Sipetrol: One request for 16,000m3
Compañia General de Combustibles: One request for 30,000m3
Oilstone Energía: One request for 5,500m3
Capex: One request for 60,000m3
Petróleos Sudamericanos: One request for 9,000m3
GyP: One request for 2,000m3
Shell Argentina: One request for 80,000m3
Refinería del Norte: One request, for 5,000m3
Petrolera Aconcagua Energía: One request, for 2,000m3
YPF: Two requests, for a total of 23,100m3
Roch: Three requests for a total of 10,694m3
Secra: One request for 216m3
Desarrollos Petrolero y Ganadero: One request for 622m3
Crown Point Energía: One request for 1,389m3
Petrolera El Trébol: One request for 680m3
CGC Energía: One request, for 60,000m3
Pampa Energía: One request, for 10,000m3
PCR: One request for 6,000m3
Compañia de Hidrocarburo no Convencional: One request, for 90,000m3
Pan American Energy: One request, for 20,000m3
Tecpetrol: Two requests, for a total of 95,000m3