Vaca Muerta, a massive shale formation the size of Belgium located in Patagonia, is seen as key to boosting the South American country's gas supplies and lessening the need for pricey imports. It has the second unconventional gas reserves worldwide and the fourth in oil.
The completion of the first stage of the gas pipeline, which starts in Neuquen province and reaches Buenos Aires province, adds 11 million cubic meters of gas per day. This will double when the compression plants are installed in Tratayen, in Neuquen province, and in Salliquelo, in Buenos Aires province.
"This work is the beginning of change in the economic and energy matrix of Argentina," Massa said at the inauguration ceremony held at a gas compression plant about 30 kilometers from Salliquelo as part of the celebrations for Argentina's Independence Day. "We are no longer going to import gas in ships because we are going to use the gas from our subsoil."