Argentina to export gas to Chile with uninterruptible contracts after 13 years – Telam

The Argentine government has allowed oil companies, after at least 13 years, to resume gas exports to Chile from next September, with uninterruptible contracts, for a volume of up to 10 million cubic meters per day (MMm3 / j), signed in July by Presidents Mauricio Macri and Sebastián Piñera.

The announcement was made through provision 167 of the Ministry of Energy, which will allow continuity of exports initiated in October of last year and which, during the first half of this year , reached an average of 5.9 MMm3 / d, increasing shipments from Chile, Brazil and Uruguay.

The new modality of exporting natural gas to Chile through firm contracts – that is, without interruption of supply – was one of the agreed points in the joint declaration that the presidents of both countries had made. signed in mid-July.

Thus, the government authorizes exports of firm gas to Chile for the period from September 15, 2019 to May 15, 2020, with a maximum volume of 10 million m3 / d.

The government pointed out that with the increase in natural gas production at Vaca Muerta, "it is warned that the country will count for the next summer a surplus production that can be exported in good conditions."

In April 2018, Chile and Argentina signed a gas trade liberalization agreement, which "allowed the resumption of exports in September according to the interruptible modality after the sudden suspension of shipments in 2007. of production, exports have increased steadily, "according to official information.

Since September, 10 Chilean companies have signed more than 30 gas purchase transactions in Argentina, accounting for about 39% of neighboring Chile's gas imports.