Argentina Oil And Gas Profile
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Introduction
- Argentina is South America's largest natural gas producer and a significant producer of oil. However, the heavily regulated energy sector includes policies that limit the industry's attractiveness to private investors while shielding consumers from rising prices. Consequently, demand for energy in Argentina's rapidly growing economy continues to rise while production of both oil and gas are in decline – leading Argentina to depend increasingly upon energy imports.
History
- 1999 - The Gas Atacama Pipeline entered operations
- 2002 - First gas flow through the Gran Gasoducto Del Sur Parana Uruguayana Pipeline
- 2012 - The Argentine government passed legislation confirming the expropriation of the YPF
Regulation
- On December 29, 2004, the National Law Nº 25.943 was passed, regulating the oil & gas sectors
Upstream
- Exploration and Production
- EIA estimates that Argentina's total oil supply in 2011 was just below 750,000 bbl/d, of which roughly 588,000 bbl/d was crude oil and lease condensate, with the remainder comprised of natural gas liquids (NGLs), biofuels, and other liquids.
- The Neuquén and Golfo San Jorge basins comprise the vast majority of Argentine crude oil production, each accounting for slightly more than 40 percent of national output.
- Chubut (Golfo San Jorge basin) is the most prolific oil province, followed by Neuquén, Santa Cruz, and Mendoza.
- Argentina produces more natural gas than any other country in mainland South America, but its output has declined over 10 percent from peak levels in 2006.
- It is also the continent's largest natural gas consumer. Though once a net exporter of natural gas to neighboring countries, Argentina became a net importer in 2008.
- According to recent analysis by EIA and Advanced Resources International, Argentina has 774 Tcf of technically recoverable shale gas resources – the world's third largest assessed endowment
- The Loma La Lata field, operated by YPF, considered one of the largest gas deposits in the Americas with an area of over 39,000 km2, is situated in the Province of Neuquén.
- Argentina exported just over 60,000 bbl/d of crude oil in 2011, almost a 40 percent decline from the previous year due to increased domestic consumption and decreased production. The United States and Chile accounted for three-quarters of exports, followed by China and Brazil
Active Companies
- YPF Explores and produces in Argentina in the Neuquen basin, Cuyo, Gulf of San Jorge, Austral and Northeast with annual oil production in 2006 exceeded 246 million barrels equivalent of oil and gas.
- Apache currently have operations in the Provinces of Neuquén, Rio Negro, Tierra del Fuego and Mendoza.
- Madalena has three blocks, Coiron Amargo, Cortadera, and Curamhuele are located in the Neuquén Basin and contain approximately 278,000 acres of exploration area.
Crude Oils
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Midstream
- The Gran Gasoducto Del Sur Parana Uruguayana Pipeline transports natural gas from Argentina to Uruguay
- The Gas Atacama Pipeline transports natural gas from Argentina to Chile
- The YABOG pipeline, which runs from Río Grande, Bolivia to Salta, Argentina, was completed in 1972 with a capacity of 200 MMcf/d. Argentina and Bolivia inaugurated another cross-border pipeline, known as the Juana Azurduy Integration Pipeline, at the end of June 2011
LNG
- Argentina began importing LNG in 2008 with the installation of the Bahia Blanca LNG Terminal, a dockside receiving terminal and regasification vessel
- In June 2011, a second and larger floating storage and regasification vessel, also financed by YPF and ENARSA, was inaugurated in Escobar (GNL Escobar)
Downstream
- Argentina claims ten refineries with a combined 630,575 bbl/d of crude refining capacity, according to OGJ, nearly half of which is controlled by YPF.
- The vast majority of capacity derives from just four refineries: YPF's La Plata Refinery (189,000 bbl/d), Shell's Buenos Aires Refinery (113,000 bbl/d), YPF's recently upgraded refinery in Lujan de Cuyo Refinery (106,000 bbl/d), and ExxonMobil's refinery in Campana (87,000 bbl/d).
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page revision: 10, last edited: 19 Feb 2015 07:40