en.Wedoany.com Reported - Argentina's largest oil and gas company, state-controlled YPF, is seeking environmental approval for its La Escalonada block project in the Vaca Muerta formation. Subsidiary Vaca Muerta Inversiones (VMI) has submitted plans to build a crude oil processing plant, a natural gas compression plant, and access roads at the block. An online public consultation is scheduled for July 13, according to information released by authorities in Neuquén province.
The crude oil processing plant is designed to handle 78,600 barrels of oil and 8,500 cubic meters of water per day, while the natural gas compression plant has a daily capacity of 4 million cubic meters. Earlier this year, a similar process was underway for a modular oil processing facility at the block with a daily capacity of 15,725 barrels, along with related access road projects. The modular facility plans a natural gas processing capacity of 1.25 million cubic meters per day and a water treatment capacity of 1,500 cubic meters per day.
La Escalonada is an oil block in northern Vaca Muerta. To support production growth in the area, concession holder Oldelval is building the $380 million Duplicar Norte pipeline. Following an asset swap with YPF, Pluspetrol holds a 44.4% stake in VMI. According to March data from the local oil and gas institute IAPG, La Escalonada produced 4,280 barrels of oil and 250,000 cubic meters of natural gas per day that month.
Neuquén province recently granted YPF unconventional licenses for block interests acquired from Pluspetrol through an asset swap. The province stated that these plots—Aguada Villanueva Norte, Meseta Buena Esperanza I and II, and Las Tacanas I and II—form part of YPF's LNG strategy. Through this transaction, YPF holds a 100% interest in these plots. The planned horizontal well pilot project involves a total investment of approximately $530 million. Neuquén province said the definition, scope, schedule, and oversight mechanism of the project will be established through a memorandum of agreement, with its execution supervised and certified by the province's Infrastructure Ministry.
YPF is planning a 12 million tons per year LNG export project with partners Eni and XRG, with a final investment decision expected this year.
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