YPF Resumes Offshore Survey Work in San Matías Gulf for Argentina LNG Export Project

YPF commenced a geophysical and oceanographic survey campaign in the San Matías Gulf off Río Negro province this week, continuing technical studies for the Argentina LNG export project. The survey vessel Rustrigen, registered under Argentine flag, will conduct approximately one week of field operations focused on inspecting and maintaining monitoring devices previously installed in the offshore study area. These instruments record data on marine currents, wave patterns and sea level variations, information essential for engineering studies related to the project’s offshore infrastructure design.

The current campaign represents a continuation of technical work YPF has undertaken in the San Matías Gulf throughout 2026. In February, the company performed geotechnical surveys of the seabed to characterize soil conditions where future installations are planned. The oceanographic data now being collected will supplement that geotechnical information, enabling more precise understanding of maritime environmental conditions in the zone where floating liquefaction units are projected to operate for decades.

The Argentina LNG project design envisions two floating liquefaction units positioned offshore from the Río Negro coast, with combined initial capacity of 12 million tonnes of LNG per year by 2030. The scheme includes potential expansion to 18 million tonnes annually in subsequent phases. The floating facilities will receive natural gas via pipeline from Vaca Muerta, process it into liquefied form through cryogenic cooling, and transfer the LNG to export tankers for delivery to international markets.

YPF, Italian energy company Eni and XRG, the international gas investment arm of UAE state producer ADNOC, requested in August that Argentina LNG be incorporated into the country’s incentive regime for large-scale investments known as RIGI. The partnership estimates cumulative investment at 51 billion US dollars across the project’s development phases, encompassing transportation infrastructure, processing facilities and export terminals linked to Vaca Muerta gas production.

The San Matías Gulf occupies a central position in the export infrastructure plan due to its maritime conditions and proximity to pipeline routes that will transport gas from the Neuquén basin to the liquefaction facilities. Río Negro provincial authorities have emphasized that the technical studies represent steps in a sustained planning process preparing the province for a new phase of productive activity involving large-scale international investment. The province and YPF are conducting outreach to communities, authorities and potential suppliers in Sierra Grande and San Antonio Oeste to promote local participation in the project’s supply chain as development progresses.