21 April 2025 | The Energy Circle - Buenos Aires, Argentina – In a strategic move reinforcing Argentina’s position as a regional energy hub, Tecpetrol – the energy arm of the Techint Group – has successfully completed its first export of natural gas from Argentina to Brazil via Bolivia, leveraging existing pipeline infrastructure across the three countries. The operation, carried out under an interruptible supply agreement, marks a significant step towards a more interconnected and competitive South American gas market.
The transaction was facilitated through commercial agreements with two Brazilian gas marketers: EDGE, a company focused on promoting energy transition and Brazil’s free gas market, and MGAS, a specialist in gas procurement and logistics. According to Tecpetrol, the initial exported volumes reached approximately 150,000 m³/day for EDGE and 100,000 m³/day for MGAS.
“Our primary objective is to open new regional markets, stimulating demand to match Argentina’s growing gas supply — particularly the vast potential unlocked by Vaca Muerta,” said Ricardo Markous, CEO of Tecpetrol.
Markous also emphasised the strategic value of regional cooperation:
“There is an enormous opportunity ahead. Pipeline capacity expansions are already underway and planned, which will enable us to supply neighbouring countries competitively and securely.”
With this initiative, Tecpetrol joins a growing group of producers leveraging Vaca Muerta’s unconventional gas resources to access regional markets. Earlier this month, TotalEnergies became the first company to export Argentine gas to Brazil via Bolivia, in coordination with Bolivia’s YPFB, which acted as a key intermediary in the cross-border flow.
Tecpetrol’s successful export is not only a commercial milestone but also a geopolitical signal that Argentina’s energy sector is ready to play a broader role in South America’s decarbonisation and energy security agenda.
Tecpetrol currently boasts a domestic production capacity of 25 million m³/day, operating conventional gas fields in the Northwest Basin and Fortín de Piedra, the flagship unconventional gas development in the Neuquén Basin. Fortín de Piedra alone supplies over 16% of Argentina’s total gas consumption, making it a cornerstone of national energy reliability.
Looking ahead, projections indicate that Vaca Muerta could deliver up to 246 million m³/day by 2030, assuming regional markets continue to expand and liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects come online.
This latest export reaffirms Tecpetrol’s commitment to regional integration and sustainable market expansion. By utilising Bolivia’s well-established pipeline network, Argentina is not only monetising its gas surplus but also contributing to a more cohesive and efficient energy ecosystem in the Southern Cone.
As infrastructure improvements and regulatory coordination continue to advance, the groundwork is being laid for a new era of cross-border energy cooperation, with Argentine gas playing a central role in fuelling regional growth and accelerating the transition to cleaner, more secure energy systems.
