Argentina Eyes Pacific, Atlantic LNG Trains

Argentina is eyeing liquefaction trains on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, the country’s energy minister Gustavo Lopetegui said March 28. “There is space for a minimum of three trains,” Lopetegui said during a special broadcast of a gas forum by online media La Nacion. “One in Chile and two in Bahia Blanca, Argentina.”

Argentina is home to the world’s second largest accumulation of recoverable shale gas. Of the country’s estimated 802 trillion ft³ of shale gas, nearly all is to be found in the Vaca Muerta formation.

“Today, we are only exploiting 3% of the surface and we will get to 4% soon. The resource is almost infinite,” Lopetegui said. “We need to rush to extract the resources before there are other technologies that will replace hydrocarbons.” 

Chile’s energy minister Susana Jimenez Schuster announced in March that her country was open to discussing opportunities with Argentina for the use of existing gas facilities located in Chile. Lopetegui will travel to neighbouring Chile in April to meet with Jimenez to discuss the possibilities.