Argentina roundup: Tecpetrol LNG project, Chubut acreage, compression plant

LNG

Argentine upstream firm Tecpetrol estimates engineering design work on a proposed LNG export project could conclude by mid-2025.

The next phase would involve economic feasibility evaluation. The project has been in the studies phase for several years.

Tecpetrol is planning a modular onshore LNG facility. Initial capacity mulled is 2-4Mt/y LNG.

Officials have not yet decided on the location but soil and jetty studies are being conducted. 

State oil firm YPF and British-Chinese-Argentine venture Southern Energy are each planning floating LNG projects off the coast of Río Negro province, with initial capacity of 1-2Mt/y and up to 2.4Mt/y, respectively. 

Argentine midstream gas firm TGS and US energy logistics player Excelerate Energy also have a modular project on the drawing board. The plant, based on past comments, would start with 1Mt/y with an expansion projection to 4Mt/y.

This works out to potential initial total gas demand of around 36Mm3/d.

Gas production in Argentina stands at around 153Mm3/d. Domestic gas demand climbs in Argentina in the colder periods, typically May-September.

Acreage transfer

Chubut province said hydrocarbons acreage Escalante-El Trébol will be transferred to new owner Pecom this month, local news agency ADNSUR reported. 

The area, with oil production of 7,100b/d, is among those offloaded by YPF under its Andes conventional assets divestment program. 

Another Chubut area acquired by Pecom, Campamento Central-Cañadón Peridido, is due to be handed over in November, given the local unit of Chilean oil firm Enap holds a 50% stake and associated paperwork is needed.

Outlay at the assets – drilling, workover and pulling – over the next three years is estimated at US$157mn, ADNSUR reported.   

YPF is sharpening its focus on shale oil production at the Vaca Muerta unconventional hydrocarbons formation.

Compression station

State company Energía Argentina announced the completion of the first phase of the Presidente Néstor Kirchner, or Vaca Muerta, debottlenecking gas pipeline.

Commissioning of a 15,000hp compression station, in Salliqueló, Buenos Aires province, was the last associated project.

Together with the Tratayén plant in Neuquén province, the 5Mm3/d station takes transport capacity to 23Mm3/d, higher than the 21Mm3/d originally planned, Energía Argentina said in a statement. 

New capacity is helping ease reliance on imported liquid fuels for power generation during peak demand periods.

A question mark hangs over a planned second phase of the Vaca Muerta pipeline, which would support gas dispatch to northern Argentina. 

Upstream firms have been given the green light to export gas to Brazil via Bolivia.