Ricardo Ferreiro, President E&P, discussed Tecpetrol’s plans to balance its hydrocarbons portfolio by developing oil at the Los Toldos II Este and Puesto Parada fields. He also provided an update on the initiatives that the company is driving to support SMEs in Neuquén.

The top players from Argentina’s energy industry convened in Energy Day, held in the Dorrego Room of the German Riding Club in Buenos Aires. Organized by EconoJournal, this year's theme was “Energy for 2025: “What segments will drive industry growth next year?” Ricardo Ferreiro, President E&P, joined the panel discussion on “Oil development: the industry’s growth vector in 2025”, alongside Horacio Turri from Pampa Energía and Ricardo Hösel from Oldelval.

“We hold a strong position in the gas market and are now focused on balancing our portfolio by scaling up oil production, going from our current 20,000 barrels to about 100,000, taking both the Los Toldos II Este and Puesto Parada projects together,” explained Ferreiro. He added that, “At Puesto Parada, we’ll be starting operations at the plant by the end of December, producing the first 6,000 barrels of oil."

However, he pointed out that the company was facing a major challenge in the area of human resources. “The main issue is the shortage of qualified personnel. There are going to be many challenges, and we must be prepared," he said. To tackle this, the company has introduced a new Nabors drilling rig, which is already in operation and has significantly cut drilling times while boosting efficiency and safety.

Ferreiro provided an update on the Los Toldos II Este project, noting that eight wells have been drilled so far (seven new wells plus one original vertical well) and highlighting the field’s rich potential, with four production horizons in the south-east zone and three in the north zone). “In the first stage, by the last quarter of 2026, we aim to be producing 35,000 barrels per day, scaling up to 70,000 barrels per day in the second stage by the first quarter of 2027,” he stated.

Later, Luis Lanziani, Supplier Development Sr Manager, joined the “Oil & Gas Suppliers Roundtable”, alongside Lenin Briceno from Shell and Juan Torrone from YPF. Lanziani referred to the Techint Group’s ProPymes Program, through which Tecpetrol has been supporting its supplier network for over 20 years.

“Puesto Parada, our first unconventional crude oil project, was developed almost entirely by our SMEs: 10 out of the 12 companies taking part are on our program,” Lanziani remarked. “This demonstrates how our efforts and organization’s trust translate into tangible results.”

For Lanziani, the word of the day throughout the panels was ‘scale’. He emphasized the profound shift that the industry is undergoing: “What we’re facing is a change of scale, moving to one that’s entirely different from what we’re used to,” he said. He explained that this is an industrial shift that demands major effort across the board: “There’s a scarcity of resources—equipment, time, human capital—and numerous limitations that require us to channel all our energy into smart and efficient ways to meet production goals. So it’s clear that collaboration is essential,” he concluded.