Argentina oil, gasoline export authorization requests tumble in July

Argentina’s federal energy department published 27 crude oil and gasoline export authorization requests in July, down from 34 in June.

The requests were made by 23 companies during the month, which was flat compared with June but down from 25 firms in May.

They correspond to dispatches via Atlantic seaports and most were to export during September. 

The biggest single request was by Vista Energy, according to information from the federal energy department. Vista sought the green light to dispatch 120,000m3 of Medanito crude from the Neuquén basin via Puerto Rosales and/or Bahía Blanca, in Buenos Aires province, from September 1-30.

Producers in the Neuquén basin, home to the Vaca Muerta shale play, have been ramping up oil production, with appetites whetted by the export market. Nationally, oil production was up 8% to 100,100m3/d (629,610b/d) in June, according to data from think tank the General Mosconi energy institute. Production of unconventional oil – almost all shale – climbed 24.2%. 

State-controlled hydrocarbons firm YPF is seeking the environmental green light to create a third Atlantic export point for oil from the basin, a project that involves building a pipeline and maritime terminal in Río Negro province. 

An existing pipeline, operated by concessionaire Oldelval, is being expanded to debottleneck Neuquén basin production and officials are already in talks with producers regarding further growth in dispatch capacity. 

Argentina recently resumed exports to Chile via the Otasa pipeline, which connects the basin to Chilean state oil firm Enap’s refinery in Biobío region.

Combined the published requests are to ship 844,600m3, compared with 1.12Mm3 (million cubic meters) in June and 712,065m3 in May.

Local hydrocarbons producer Pampa Energía said that last quarter it obtained an average price of US$65.1/b for its oil, down 10% year-on-year, citing a drop in prices on the international market. Prices on the domestic market were similar, at US$65/b.

The country’s biggest producer, YPF, said its average price obtained last quarter was US$63.4/b, down from US$65.0/b. The bulk of YPF's oil feeds local refineries. 

In previous quarters oil producers have benefited from export prices that have been considerably higher than the locally set price, established jointly by the government, refiners and drillers. A government objective is to help shield the domestic market from global volatility. 

REQUESTS PUBLISHED IN JULY

ExxonMobil: One request for 30,000m3

Pluspetrol: One request for 40,000m3

Equinor Argentina: Two requests, for a total of 36,000m3 

Pan American Energy: Two requests, for a total of 23,200m3

Pan American Sur: One request for 10,000m3

CGC: One request for 42,000m3

YPF: One request for 11,400m3

Shell Argentina: One request for 55,000m3

Aconcagua Energía: One request for 10,000m3

Secra: One request for 216m3

Oilstone Energía: One request for 12,000m3

CGC Energía: Two requests, for a total of 120,000m3

Desarrollos Petrolero y Ganadero: One request for 622m3

Petrolera El Trébol: One request for 680m3

Crown Point Energía: One request for 1,389m3

Roch: One request for 1,093m3

Refinería del Norte: One request for 8,000m3

Tecpetrol: Two requests, for a total of 100,000m3

Petronas E&P Argentina: One request for 45,000m3

Total Austral: One request for 8,000m3

Compañia de Hidrocarburo No Convencional: One request for 120,000m3

Vista Energy: One request for 160,000m3

Pampa Energía: One request for 10,000m3