10/07/2026 04:25 - Economia
On July 9, 2026, the Argentine energy industry celebrated a historic advancement. A consortium led by the American company Pumpco, the Italian firm Bonatti, and the national construction company Contreras Hermanos was awarded a multi-million dollar tender to build export pipelines from Vaca Muerta, surpassing local giants like Techint (led by the Rocca family) and businessman Eduardo Mindlin.
According to reports from local media such as Infobae, La Política Online, and Clarín, the winning bid is linked to the owner of Inter Miami (the MLS soccer club), Jorge Mas. Through his infrastructure company (MasTec) and Pumpco, he presented the best technical and economic proposal, displacing the historical leaders of the sector.
The awarded work involves the construction of two parallel pipelines of approximately 527 kilometers (about 327 miles) in length. These will connect Tratayén, the main gas node in the Vaca Muerta formation located in the Neuquén province, with Punta Colorada in the Río Negro province, on the coast of the San Matías Gulf.
The investment associated with this infrastructure would exceed 3 billion dollars, establishing itself as one of the largest pipeline construction contracts tendered in the country's history. The project is framed within the Argentina LNG initiative, driven by YPF (Argentina's state-owned energy company) and the Italian company ENI to export up to 12 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of liquefied natural gas.
Pumpco: One of the leading pipeline constructors in the US, linked to the group of Inter Miami's owner, bringing vast experience in energy infrastructure.
Bonatti: A European benchmark with decades of history in the construction of facilities for the oil and gas industry.
Contreras Hermanos: An Argentine firm with great local experience that will handle engineering, assembly, and coordination with unions and provincial authorities.
The awarding of these pipelines is another fundamental step for Argentina to consolidate as a structural LNG exporter. A few weeks ago, a temporary union of companies (UTE) made up of SACDE and the Italian firm Tecnimont was selected to develop the gas treatment and separation plant, an investment estimated at 7 billion dollars.
The scale of the project requires developing local capacities well in advance. Hiring personnel, training workers, and logistical coordination will be determining factors in meeting the established deadlines.
Although the main infrastructure contracts are already taking shape, the effective start of the works will remain subject to the Final Investment Decision (FID) that YPF and ENI will have to assume. This decision is expected to be completed in the last two months of the year, after closing the project finance.
This milestone marks a before and after for the region, promising to generate thousands of jobs and positioning Vaca Muerta—one of the world's largest shale gas reserves—as one of the engines of the Argentine economy in the coming decades.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
