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Experience at Fortín de Piedra

Our projects

Fortín de Piedra

Vaca Muerta

Unconventional operations

  • The field is an international success story

    Tecpetrol has a concession for a 180 thousand-acre block in Argentina’s shale oil and gas reservoirs, making it one of the top 10 companies operating in the country.

    Fortín de Piedra is a 243-km2 area in Vaca Muerta, lying in the Neuquén sedimentary basin.

    In 2017, Tecpetrol began work on the massive development of the field, investing some USD 2.3 billion in building facilities, plants and pipelines, as well as in drilling horizontal wells and applying well stimulation techniques such as hydraulic fracturing.

    In just 18 months, the field reached a production of 17.5 million m3/day of gas, representing some 13% of Argentina's total gas output.

    Today, the Fortín de Piedra development produces 21 million m3/day and is considered an example for the industry worldwide. The project has brought about a significant increase in efficiency standards across the board: depth, pressure, fluid, the length of horizontal branches, optimal spacing between wells and between fractures, etc.

In numbers

A project that appeared to be almost impossible

  • 18

    Months

    It seemed unthinkable that the intensive development of Fortín de Piedra would be achieved in such a short time.

  • 21

    million m3/day of gas

    This is the volume produced which comes to 14% of Argentina's gas output.

  • 4,500

    People

    Involved at the peak of construction, building facilities, roads, pads, and wells, as well as carrying out other tasks not directly associated with industrial activity, such as camp, canteen and cleaning services.

  • 85

    Wells drilled and completed

    The drilling was carried out as part of a scheme featuring 4 well slots per pad or location. Hydraulic fracturing well stimulation techniques were applied at completion stage to achieve higher gas output levels.

  • 7

    Rigs and 3 sets of fracturing equipment

    At the height of activity at Fortín de Piedra, there were 7 drilling rigs and 2 sets of fracturing equipment being operated together.

  • 250

    Km of pipelines

    Were built in the field to transport gas from the wells to the plants and from there to the different distribution points.

  • 1,000

    Companies involved

    More than 1,000 companies from all over Argentina took part in the project. Many had to develop capabilities that would enable them to enter a new market segment: the oil and gas industry.

Development from 0 to 100

Fortín de Piedra

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Find out more about the operation

Fortín de Piedra

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  • Central Processing PlantCPF

  • Multipad scheme 4 well slots per location

  • Fortín de Piedra Area 24/7 operation

  • Hydraulic fracturing Well stimulation equipment

  • Rig skiddingSystem transfer

  • Operational practices Safety

  • Hydraulic fracturing well stimulation Water intake

  • Early Production Facility EPF

Experience at Fortín de Piedra

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