Vaca Muerta gas reaches Brazil via Bolivia
For the first time, natural gas produced in Argentina has been exported to the Brazilian market via Bolivia. The Apr. 1, 2025, operation involved TotalEnergies Argentina, Matrix Energia (Brazil), and state-owned YPFB and involved some 500 cu m of natural gas.
Until recently, Argentina was a net importer of Bolivian gas. The reversal of the Northern Gas Pipeline, driven by the Argentine government, has enabled a new export route for gas produced in the Neuquén basin (OGJ Online, Nov. 11, 2024). This infrastructure now allows shale gas from Vaca Muerta to be transported northward, traversing existing networks in Argentina and Bolivia, and reaching Brazil.
The gas is delivered through the national transportation systems operated by TGN and TGS to Campo Durán, in the province of Salta. From there, it enters the Refinor-operated Madrejones pipeline, crosses into Bolivia, flows through YPFB’s gas network, and ultimately reaches the Brazilian market. This transnational operation was carried out under a gas-in-transit framework.
Camilo Ciruzzi | South America Correspondent
Ciruzzi is a journalist based in the Argentine province of Río Negro. He has over 30 years of experience in radio and print media. Ciruzzi studied Communication Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires and specialized in energy, political economy, and finance.
