
ExxonMobil is planning to speed up investment plans for shale gas drilling in Argentina’s prized Vaca Muerta formation in the Neuquen province. Exxon will start drilling Vaca Muerta in May, by drilling horizontal wells with laterals of 2,500-3,000 meters, Neuquen province governor Omar Gutierrez said this week.

Argentina's Tecpetrol, part of the Techint Group, said on Thursday it would invest US$2.3 billion in the Vaca Muerta shale fields through 2019, the largest announcement in the formation in years. Tecpetrol said in a statement the investment was made possibly due to measures from President Mauricio Macri's government, including a deal with labor unions earlier this year and a definition of price supports this month.

Argentina's state-run oil company YPF said it reached a preliminary deal with Royal Dutch Shell Plc to develop oil and gas assets in the Vaca Muerta shale field, involving a US$300 million investment from Shell.

Argentina's government has agreed to extend a natural gas wellhead price subsidy until 2020 and reduce labor costs in a bid to jumpstart investment in the Vaca Muerta shale formation. The agreement, reached between the national government, the provincial government of Neuquen, industry and labor unions, comes at a time of lackluster upstream activity, reflecting an uncertain price environment and cost concerns.

Argentina's state oil company YPF said on Monday it has named Ricardo Darre chief executive officer, as the company makes leadership changes under the new pro-business government.

Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale formation in Patagonia remains an attractive asset for international investors, many of which are looking to increase the amount they have invested so far, according to the country's Energy Minister Juan José Aranguren, a former Shell Argentina CEO.

Argentina's state-controlled energy company YPF will cut capital expenditure by at least 20-25% this year to mitigate the impact of the global oil price rout — leading to growing concerns among union leaders, who claim up to 2,000 workers would be laid off because of the company’s decision.

Argentina announced on Tuesday an agreement between state-run oil company YPF and Dow Chemical to spend $500 million next year developing a natural gas project in the Patagonia region.

Argentina's supreme court has ordered state-controlled YPF to publicly release all clauses of a 2013 contract with Chevron to develop shale oil in the country's vast Vaca Muerta formation. In a 3-1 ruling, the justices sided with opposition Socialist Senator Hector Ruben Giustiniani, ruling that the state's 51% stake in the firm effectively makes it a public company subject to transparency laws.

Argentina's state-run energy company YPF said on Friday it plans to focus on boosting natural gas production in 2016, while also pursuing a gradual reduction in drilling and completion costs and looking for more partnerships for shale and tight play projects. It also admitted that potential investors are waiting for post-election clarity on economic and energy policies before making any decisions.