Roundup: Gas transporter rates, YPF lithium unit sale report

Transport rates

The Argentine government increased the payment rate for gas transport services by 1% after companies secured a triple-digit hike earlier in the year.

The country’s two piped gas transporters – TGS and TGN – published regulatory filings on the change.

Transport charges typically represent around 12% of a residential user’s gas bill.

Regulator Enargas also amended rates paid to gas distributors. Gas rates were hiked earlier in the year as part of a move to reduce energy subsidies.

TGS has midstream projects planned.

YPF lithium unit

Argentina’s state-controlled hydrocarbons company YPF is considering offloading its lithium subsidiary, YPF Litio, Bloomberg reported.

YPF is laser-focused on boosting shale oil output and exports from the Vaca Muerta formation.

The company, in parallel, is offloading conventional hydrocarbons assets and other non-core businesses.

YPF Litio has been exploring 20,000ha in Catamarca province as part of its first lithium project and based on an association with provincial company Camyen.

Argentina has four lithium operations in production, five under construction and more than 20 in advanced development stages. Together, they are expected to boost output from 46,000t lithium carbonate equivalent in 2023 to 230,000t in 2027 and 415,000t in 2030.

Lithium deposits in Argentina are mostly in the northwestern provinces of Salta, Jujuy and Catamarca, with rising exploration budgets focused on the area.

Exploration investments grew from US$31mn in 2020 to US$140mn in 2023, according to data provided by the economy ministry, which also predicts that lithium exports will reach US$8.73bn in 2030 compared to US$846mn last year.