Insights: Vaca Muerta’s scale, productivity - and why it has more to give

Episode notes

In this Insights episode of the Oil & Gas Journal ReEnterprised podcast, upstream editor Alex Procyk delivers an in-depth technical and commercial overview of Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale play, one of the world’s largest unconventional oil and gas resources - and one that continues to punch below its weight in total production. Procyk argues this is less a reflection of rock quality and more a result of development pace, infrastructure, and operational complexity. He also outlines why Vaca Muerta’s location - far from geopolitically sensitive supply routes - could make it increasingly important in global energy markets. Why Vaca Muerta matters now Despite resource estimates rivaling or exceeding major US shale plays, Vaca Muerta produces only a fraction of their total output. Procyk argues this is less a reflection of rock quality and more a result of development pace, infrastructure, and operational complexity. With major pipeline projects under way and LNG export capacity taking shape, Vaca Muerta may be poised to play a much larger role in global oil and gas supply.

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