A few days after the inauguration of the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline, the former Secretary of Energy of the Nation and elected provincial deputy in Neuquén, Darío Martínez, highlighted the steps taken to Arrive “in time and form” to complete the work. He highlighted the energy plan drawn up during his administration, particularly the gas and oil transportation works. «The Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline is the most emblematic“, he remarked.
“Without a doubt, one of the most important works in gas transportation of the last 40 years”, held a one-on-one with Power On. The work has “an impressive dimension, 573 kilometers of pipes. A transportation capacity of 11 million cubic meters that with the two compression plants a transport capacity of 20 million will be reached”frame.
Martínez was Secretary of Energy between August 2020 and 2022. The official stressed the gas transport scheme designed in its management, which includes the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline. He defined it as “the most emblematic work. Besides, andIt is a work that has to do with an energy policy that we designed for Vaca Muertafor Argentina and for Neuquén».
In a review of his management, he expressed the achievement of “stop the decline of gas that Argentina had. It was 8.5%, there was a production of about 49 million cubic meters. When I entered, we not only stopped him, but also we managed to have a growing production with the Gas Plan and that requires increasing transportation capacity. We believe that it is a policy that will transcend efforts«.
The continuity of these measures “is what It will allow us a positive trade balance in terms of dollars not only for gas but also for the doubling of Oldelval. It is the most important private investment work in the history of Argentina in terms of transportation and that gives a concrete horizon to Vaca Muerta“, he indicated.
In 2024, it is estimated that the gas pipeline will generate foreign exchange savings of 4,000 million dollars. “We are going to have significant import savings by not having to bring more ships. Now we pay 3.50 to 3.80 in pesos for what is costing you 9 outside, but we were buying boats at more than $20 million BTUs“, he recalled.
As for oil, production “did not exceed 180,000 barrels. We are exceeding 300,000 and we are going to a projection for 2026-2027 of one million barrels. The country only needs 400,000 to functionthat only from the Basin (Neuquina) there will be 600,000 surpluses to export more than what other basins can produce. It will be a positive balance of about 23,000 million dollars in crude«.
The inauguration of the gas pipeline on July 9 «It is an emblematic date because it is Independence Day and this is the initial kick to energy independence, so I believe that the continuity of this process is important for Argentina”, he highlighted.
Néstor Kirchner and Vaca Muerta gas pipeline: what are the deficits in the region for the production target
«When I entered, there were 9,000 laid off workers, 6,000 dismissed. Now there is full employment in the industry because it has been within the circumstances, but we will need 56,000 more trained workers“Marked the former secretary.
In Neuquén, there are currently “only two technical schools training their workers out of the 23 in the province. Such a deficit had not been seen before. The infrastructure is not there. there are no housing plans on scale to meet that demand for 56,000 new workers. It is a complete Centenary », he compared.
«If we don’t train them here, the industry will bring them from abroad. There is much to do in the province. Neuquén is for much more. Then you have to think about industrializing at the source. It is a discussion more of the Neuquinos than of the national project. The national project has invested a lot in this basin and the results are being seen”, he highlighted.
«The gas that will go to the Néstor Kirchner Gas Pipeline project will be produced by workers from Neuquén. The province that has benefited the most from this investment made by the state is Neuquén. The country will be benefited by this political decision. It is a virtuous circle. The province will have many royalties. Then there is the discussion of what is done with that income », she stressed.
Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline and the LNG plant: “they are works that have to be complementary”
The LNG bill entered congress a few weeks ago. Darío Martínez highlighted «have regulations that promote this state policy in the medium/long term«. However, “you don’t have to neglect the investments you have to keep making“he warned. This is how he referred to the second stage of the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline and the reversal of the North Gas Pipeline to reach the rest of the country and Bolivia.
The development of an LNG plant for export and the gas pipeline “for the supply of the country They are works that have to be complementary. One thing does not remove the other. It is the horizon that our secretariat set as energy policies and I think it will continue in any management.
At the moment, there are smaller-scale projects that “will use gas from the same pipe. But for a large plant you will need a dedicated pipe. What you have to ensure is that the producer who puts gas in the dedicated pipe, puts more in the Néstor Kirchner“, he pointed. Access to transportation capacity for an LNG plant “would make it proportional based on what they contribute to Néstor Kirchner and the pipes for supplying the country,” he explained.
Martínez is the president of the Justicialista Party in Neuquén and on the way to the national elections he highlighted the candidacy of Sergio Massa as president and Agustín Rossi as vice president in Unión por la Patria: «They are the right people to maintain these key points and horizons in terms of energy policy. We continue to work with Wado (De Pedro).”
The Nestor Kirchner gas pipeline, “a work of unity”
The former Secretary of Energy of the Nation and elected provincial deputy, Darío Martínez, visited the studio of BLACK RIVER RADIOafter the inauguration of the first section of the Nestor Kirchner gas pipeline: «We are very happy about the unit list in the photo yesterday, but yesterday’s work is a work of unity because a lot of people worked there and I can assure you, because I have been in several meetings with Cristina (Kirchner) from minute zero.
For the former official, the work symbolizes “a whole process of unity” to achieve the proposed goal. «When we are united and we work together, the achievements appear because Argentina wants to go forward. The exit from Argentina is with more work, more production. That is the way out, not the financial one. And Sergio and Agustín are the synthesis of our formula to continue on that path”, he remarked.
Martínez highlighted his work within the Ministry of Energy for the completion of the gas pipeline: “In the planning, I remember in February 2022, the Resolution Chamber where we created the Nestor Kirchner and then we started the decree to pass it on to Enarsa and make the tender. It was a process of steps in a virtuous circle, because Néstor Kirchner was necessary because there was a gas plan that was very successful”.
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