YPF Files a $51,000 Million LNG Project Under Argentina's RIGI Scheme

YPF, Eni, and XRG submitted the Argentina LNG project to Argentina's Large Investment Incentive Scheme (RIGI) on August 13, 2026. It is the largest project registered under that framework to date, with an estimated investment of $51,000 million to export liquefied natural gas from Vaca Muerta.

The development covers the entire value chain: from production in the Neuquén formation to two floating liquefaction units (FLNG) off the coast of Río Negro, with an initial capacity of 12 million tonnes per year, expandable to 18. It concentrates European and Middle Eastern capital in Argentina's unconventional gas and positions the country as a new LNG exporter to the Atlantic basin. According to Bloomberg Línea, YPF projects export revenues of close to $10,000 million annually over two decades. Argentina holds the world's second-largest unconventional gas resources, and Vaca Muerta produces roughly half of the country's gas.

The plan includes a 527-kilometer, 48-inch diameter pipeline between Neuquén and Río Negro, unprecedented in the country, according to Infobae. Until the FLNG units come online, targeted for 2031, the estimated investment stands at approximately $29,000 million: $24,000 million in strategic infrastructure and $5,000 million in well development. The first financing tranche targets approximately $15,500 million, structured with JP Morgan, and 47 banks submitted bids for 2.4 times that amount, according to YPF president Horacio Marín in statements to Infobae. Following an asset swap with Pluspetrol, the blocks feeding the pipeline are allocated 36% to YPF and 32% to each international partner. Construction between 2026 and 2030 will generate approximately 20,000 jobs annually, with peaks of 40,000.

The next milestone is the final investment decision, scheduled for November 2026, when the partners will formally commit their capital. Commercial operations are projected between 2029 and 2031, and will determine whether Vaca Muerta consolidates its entry into Atlantic LNG markets.

This article was drafted with artificial intelligence assistance from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.