Earlier in 2025, Capex S.A. was awarded the Cinco Saltos Norte block with a committed investment of USD 6.85 million targeting similarly intensive exploratory work. This adds to Río Negro’s portfolio, which now includes five active blocks oriented toward Vaca Muerta’s unconventional resources, encompassing one exploitation concession and four exploration permits. Kilwer S.A., a Phoenix Global Resources subsidiary, holds the Confluencia Norte and Sur blocks with multi-million-dollar investment commitments for exploratory drilling, highlighting strong private sector interest.
Infrastructure developments complement exploration activity, with a 437-kilometer oil pipeline under construction by VMOS SA and Techint-SACDE consortium set for commissioning by late 2026. This pipeline will significantly expand crude evacuation capacity from Vaca Muerta, projecting initial export increments of over 380,000 barrels per day. In parallel, Río Negro’s Secretary of Hydrocarbons has enhanced supervision through technical commissions, investment controls, and upgrades to the InPro data system to monitor production, environmental compliance, and local employment commitments.
Collectively, the evolving regulatory framework and increased private sector investment signal Río Negro’s deepening engagement in exploiting Vaca Muerta’s unconventional resources, driving expansion of Argentina’s hydrocarbon production and export capabilities.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
