The facility passed its ISO 9001 surveillance audit without any non-conformities or findings.

In October 2024, Fortín de Piedra's laboratory became the first in the Neuquén Basin and Vaca Muerta to achieve ISO 9001 certification for a specific process, a demanding journey for the team behind the effort. For them the certification is far more than a seal of approval, as it validates a management model built on quality and continuous improvement. Today, every chemical analysis that supports the operation passes through the laboratory, providing the fast, traceable and reliable data needed to make timely decisions in the field.

The initiative emerged in late 2023 within the Operations Department and received management support from the outset. "Working under ISO 9001 means we can be sure of the reliability of our analytical results, strengthen traceability and provide precise information to help with decision-making," explains Marcela Morales Bobes, Senior Manager of Chemical Treatment.

It certainly came about at the right time. As Fortín de Piedra expanded, so did the demands placed on the teams working at the operation. Having a certified laboratory on site speeds up response times, reduces the need to transport samples, and lowers costs, while providing critical technical support to internal customers in areas ||| from maintenance and production to transport and plants, as well as production and reservoir engineering.

The certification process has also transformed the way the team works. "The achievement was a turning point in terms of how we bring quality into our processes," says Marcela. "But it was quite a challenge to ensure that we had the necessary resource and could meet the deadlines in addition to keeping the system up and running.” Training, ensuring documents were up-to-date and checking each stage was properly organized proved essential to maintaining consistency throughout the process.

The impact reaches directly into day-to-day operations as the certification strengthens two elements that are critical to decision-making: traceability and confidence in analytical data. "Every result can be traced from the moment a sample is received through to the final report, including the methods, equipment and controls involved," explains Guido Torti, Laboratory Manager. Standardized processes also improve consistency over time, making it possible to build comparable data series backed by robust technical records that stand up to audits and external reviews.

Like any successful transformation, however, the achievement ultimately came down to people. Achieving and maintaining certification take dedication, a positive attitude and coordination.

"The team took an active role throughout the process. They embraced proposals for improvement and even contributed ideas of their own, which was key to moving forward with confidence," says Guido.

But this is not an isolated achievement for Fortín. The experience is already serving as a blueprint for other laboratories and processes. "The quality management system we've implemented can now be replicated at sites such as Los Toldos II Este and Los Bastos," say Marcela and Guido with pride. "With the knowledge we've gained, implementation times can be shortened and processes made more efficient." ISO 9001 is undoubtedly another major step forward for operations in the Neuquén basin, bringing coherence, strengthening operations and providing a baseline for the future. The challenge now is not only to maintain the standard, but to keep raising it.