A year and a half after the Ramos field began operating, the province of Salta extended the concession. Among the commitments associated with the agreement are the installation of an amine plant for gas processing.

When Tecpetrol acquired Pluspetrol's 33% stake in the Ramos area in 2024 and took over the operation of the field, this deposit, together with the neighboring Aguaragüe, made the company the main gas producer in northern Argentina. A year and a half later, an agreement was reached with the province of Salta to extend the Ramos concession for 10 years, opening the door to new projects and possibilities.

Negotiations to achieve this extension began three months after taking over the operation of the area. The process lasted a year and a half and was not easy at all. “We got on a roller coaster. "To achieve good results, we had to work with very strong coordination between the different sectors involved, which are essentially Operations from Salta, Exploration and Joint Ventures from Buenos Aires, with the support of the Planning area," explained Aldo Folini, Joint Ventures Expert.

Gustavo Blasco, NOA Division Sr. Manager, emphasized that “it was a huge effort, a team effort that makes me very proud. As the negotiations progressed, we ourselves learned about the area and, with that information, we defined which activities and projects were viable to reach an agreement with the province.”

Since it was a mature deposit, proposals were made in accordance with the possibilities of the field. “We were able to agree on commitments to mitigate the natural decline of the basin and improve the quality of the gas and, at the request of the province, we added contingent activities that added value to Tecpetrol's proposal in the area,” explained Lorena Montgaillard, Joint Ventures Sr. Manager.

Boosting the region's energy development

Even before the extension of the concession, Tecpetrol was already committed to the province of Salta. Between 2015 and 2024, it was the only company to drill new wells. Currently, the production of both areas It adds up to 1.6 million cubic meters of gas per day. “With Aguaragüe first and Ramos later, Tecpetrol consolidated itself as the main operator of the basin. “That presence, combined with our reputation for honesty and compliance, helped us to have a good relationship with the province,” Aldo stated.

The extension until 2036 gave rise to the development of new proposals. The project to install a modular amine plant was presented, which contributes to conditioning the gas by reducing the percentage of CO2 in Ramos and Aguaragüe. “This investment is one of the most important in the entire extension agreement. “For us, it is a huge achievement to be able to become independent from Refinor and TGN in the conditioning of the gas from the basin and to meet the quality standards of the international market for export,” Gustavo emphasized. In turn, with the aim of slowing the decline curve of hydrocarbons, it was agreed to study the Tupambi formation and to carry out an operational, mechanical and economic analysis in this regard.

Gustavo also highlighted that Tecpetrol's presence in both fields, and for several more years, provides work for local companies. “We put together a structure to be able to operate throughout the region and in fact the agreements with local suppliers are for Ramos and Aguaragüe together. "This benefits the province and helps us optimize resources and be more efficient in our operations," he concluded.