Conexplo is back after four years, bringing a whole host of benefits, from knowledge sharing, lots of presentations and meetings with the chance to share knowledge, to new plans and the feeling of having learned a great deal.

“It was a really exciting experience: we met up with old friends, learned new things and there was lots of debate. It meant we could learn about life at other companies, and what new strategies are in the air to optimize processes. We also got a good look at the latest technological advances. I returned feeling even prouder and more inspired by our team than ever, as they gave an outstanding performance at each presentation.” This enthusiastic summary comes from Yoseberling Castillo, Geotechnical Analyst, and describes the general ‘atmos’ at the event.

#Conexplo22, the Hydrocarbons Exploration and Development Congress organized by the Argentine Oil & Gas Institute (IAPG), has so far celebrated eleven editions, but the pandemic put things on hold. This year, the event took place between November 8 and 11 in Mendoza, welcoming professionals from all around the region to network and share knowledge. The general sense of satisfaction and enthusiasm was palpable, a true reflection of its success.

Claudia Galarza, Geotechnical Manager, explains with pride that, “It was my first year as chair of the Geotechnology Commission,” as her remit was to coordinate the presentation of the papers. "I’m really grateful and happy as one of our presentations was awarded a prize." Alejandro Bande, who has been involved in organizing the event over these last four years, agrees that, "It’s the end of a long period of work, and we’re very happy as everything went as planned and it’s good to see the key role played by this congress for the industry as a whole."

The Project Data project was singled out for a prize—but that’s merely the consequence of all the hard work, say its authors, Alan Buchanan, Exploration Geologist Specialist, and Diego García Acebal, Development Geologist Expert, as for them, the objective is really about sharing their findings. “Conexplo has always been a terrific event for the industry. It’s an opportunity to find out what’s at the cutting edge of our discipline. We talk to our peers, discuss progress and learn about other workflows, in a context that encourages exchange.” Micaela Maugeri, Geophysicist Development Specialist, adds that, “It was a truly enriching and rewarding experience in a space that is designed to encourage people to share and exchange ideas.”

Feedback: For the industry to grow, the best way forward is to share knowledge. Growth is inherent to the system: Yoseberling, for example, presented two works. The first was a corporate cartography manual and second was a new methodology for an unconventional development plan. Rodrigo Mariñelarena, Exploration Geologist Sr. Analyst, explains that he presented "the results of some exploration work, and how it can be integrated to fulfill objectives and act as a basis for proposals for new wells and areas of interest."

Marcelo Ghidina, Development Geophysicist Expert, takes the opportunity to bring up the study carried out in the Arcabuz deposit in the Misión field together with Micaela Maugeri and Ezequiel Valeff: "This was a great opportunity to showcase our technical work, as well as learn from other projects presented and gauge the potential for their application in Tecpetrol."

The industry is growing in tandem with the ramp up in business: "Feedback is a big reason," points out Rodrigo, while Yoseberling weaves together the theme of her presentations with Conexplo’s overall objective for Tecpetrol: “Our second project was about trying to encourage feedback. We showed people what we propose doing, and the response from the public was extremely helpful.”

The bar was set high, both for expectations and for all the efforts made. The technical team, also including Matías Cuberes, Raúl Gutiérrez, Alfonso Mosquera, Neptali Requena González and Daniel Valencio, are firm in their conviction that this was a successful mission. “We came back to meet up again after four years. It’s our space where we can share experiences and learnings, finding out about new technologies, cultures and data,” they explain.

Ricardo Veiga, Exploration Senior Director, is delighted with the results, despite his initial anxiety: “At the end of the day, when you get people’s feedback and see that things turned out well, you can relax and enjoy the whole thing. We never forget that we are representing Tecpetrol, which entails a huge responsibility.”