Kick-starting the shale boom in Argentina? The new reforms in context

Journal article

This fall the Argentine government passed a new hydrocarbons bill with the intent of attracting foreign direct investment in its energy sector, particularly in shale oil and shale gas areas. With 802 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of technically recoverable gas, Argentina has the second-largest shale gas reserves behind China. It also has the fourth-largest shale oil reserves (27 billion technically recoverable barrels), as well as a developed domestic gas market and export infrastructure. The country is thus a potentially important player in the global oil and gas markets. Not only has the country been a major supplier of natural gas to neighbouring Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, and Bolivia in the past, but its domestic use is so large that it has become an important importer of natural gas via pipeline from Bolivia and it has built two LNG import facilities. The World Gas Model at Rice University indicates that Argentina could supply LNG to China by 2030. A number of companies (such as Repsol/YPF before its nationalization in April 2012, Total, Apache, Exxon, Shell, Pan American Energy, and Americas Petrogas) have already begun exploring, with Repsol/ YPF making a significant discovery in December 2011.

Authors: Mares, DR

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
• Journal: Oxford Energy Forum
• Issue: 98
• Pages: 16-18
• Publication date: 2015-01-12
• ISSN: 0959-7727
• Language: English
• Keywords: OIES