Overview
- The Vaca Muerta Oil Sur (VMOS) build is about 70% complete and aims to finish onshore pumping and coastal tanks this year so offshore operational tests can begin.
- Tuesday reporting says two monoboyas being built in the United Arab Emirates must transit the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, and recent fighting in the region could delay their arrival or increase transport and insurance costs.
- YPF used the ARPEL conference to accelerate an export strategy that includes launching project finance this month for an Argentina LNG scheme of about $24 billion and a staged oil export ramp starting with an initial 180,000 barrels per day lift in early 2027.
- The VMOS system depends on two floating monoboyas, a 437‑km pipeline, pumping stations and large coastal storage to load VLCC tankers offshore, and the $3 billion project is led by a consortium of major Vaca Muerta producers including YPF and other domestic and international firms.
- If the monoboyas are delayed, companies face higher costs or slower exports, which could push back expected export revenues, affect local jobs tied to the ramp-up, and force use of costlier alternate equipment that would slow Argentina’s wider plan to scale crude and LNG sales.