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Three decades of Aguaragüe

Tecpetrol’s very first field is celebrating thirty years of activity, an emblem of the past, present and future of the company’s busy and much-loved facilities, as popular among its workers as it is with its visitors.

Tecpetrol’s pioneering teaching site is turning thirty—and it’s not just about the facilities, structures and procedures, but also its people and their achievements. For example, it’s the field where the first complex multilateral well in Argentina was drilled (AGAP-1002). Today, Aguaragüe is the location where the integration between Tecpetrol, its contractors and the community is truly organic, lasting and evolving over time in its own right. The thirty-year milestone is a testament to records, such as going over 3,000 days without an incident in the field where some of the deepest and most complex wells in the country are to be found.

Behind these milestones is another story, as one of Aguaragüe’s greatest assets has always been its people, united by a special bond that’s cemented by the remoteness of its location. “One unique thing about Aguaragüe is that everybody shares everything: you have newcomers, those who are working here on a regular basis, you have locals and you have folk from outside, who have always been in the majority. But you share everything together as a group: work, family, social life…” Pablo Martellotta is today the Manager of the CORE program and worked at the site for a long time—his children were actually born in Tartagal—and he’s still enthused by the one-of-a-kind dynamics in evidence at Aguaragüe.

Eduardo Isasmendi, the Aguaragüe Division Senior Manager, explains that, “This operation is one of Tecpetrol's oldest facilities. It’s our training site where we have our drilling school, and many of the company’s managers and directors of today started their careers here. It’s a place where we’ve achieved a high degree of integration with our suppliers and external contractors, something that doesn’t happen in all operations. We have our own people here as well as those working for our contractors, who’ve been here since it all started, colleagues who have built their entire careers here and spent most of their lives in Aguaragüe.”

Shared smiles in the sunlightthe team takes a break for the photographer.

The site is a collective construction that harbors the memories of those who joined the family over the years, right from the start. For example, Mariela Bootz, who is an Accounts Payable Analyst: “These thirty years have been such an important part of my life, I remember the illusion of this being my first job. And I’m infinitely grateful to the company for inviting me to be part of this great family.”

Raúl Tuvio, Quality Senior Director, and former manager of the deposit, expresses himself in a similar vein: “For me, the key things have been the professionalism and human quality of the people with whom I’ve worked. We’ve achieved extraordinary results thanks to everybody’s efforts, supporting each other, and always in the best possible human context”. Javier Leiva, who is the Senior Manager for Quality Operations, agrees. “When I left, I realized that as well as the particular challenges of its projects, what distinguishes Aguaragüe is its people: their commitment, their team spirit, and the value they bring to everything they do, which goes far beyond their responsibilities.”

Daniel Sauthier, Vice President of Operations, also refers to the people. “Of all the destinations where I’ve been posted (and there have been many) Aguaragüe stands head and shoulders above the others for the degree of integration it has managed to achieve with its service providers. It’s also very impressive to see the commitment displayed by the team to constantly finding ways to do things better. And there’s such a positive work climate that everyone has made. I remember Tartagal with great affection.”

Miguel Iriarte, HSE Manager, who was based in Aguaragüe right at the very beginning, adds that, “Over these years, we’ve achieved all kinds of objectives: operational, production, administrative, social, and HSE. But the best thing has been putting together a work team that lives on through the generations and people who pass through this site.”

A past and a present that have brought many people together. And what lies in the future? Eduardo Isasmendi is clear: “Tecpetrol and its partners are negotiating the extension of the area concession with the Salta provincial authorities. We hope to reach an agreement soon so we can stay here for another fifteen years. Looking ahead, Aguaragüe has so much to offer, not only because of its output, but also because of its strategic location... and that’s the way forward!”

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