Gas transporter TGS, controlled by Pampa Energía, has proposed an US$800 million pipeline and gas treatment plant in Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale fields.
Gas transporter TGS, controlled by Pampa Energía, has proposed an $800 million pipeline and gas treatment plant in Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale fields, aiming to address a key barrier to increasing production.
The project, subject to approval by the government of Neuquen province, could be built in a year and a half and would transport gas produced by companies including state-run YPF SA, Tecpetrol, Dow Argentina and Exxon Mobil Corp.
Argentina's President Mauricio Macri has made attracting investment to ramp up natural gas production a priority of his government, which is trying to end reliance on costly energy imports. But expanded output is limited by current pipeline capacity in the remote, Belgium-sized fields.
"Producers always say that a new pipeline will be needed for the next shale and tight gas drilling phase in Vaca Muerta," said a TGS source.
So far this year, ExxonMobil, BP Unit Pan American Energy, Wintershall, Total,and Statoil have announced investments in Vaca Muerta.
海角吃瓜网 in Vaca Muerta are currently moving 60 million m3/d (2119 ft3) of natural gas and have capacity for 75 million, oil companies say.