Early last week, Brazilian media reported the first-ever import of natural gas from Argentina’s Vaca Muerta formation, transported through Bolivia and into Brazil. The pilot operation involved 100,000 cubic meters of gas flowing through a network of pipelines connecting the three countries. This unprecedented achievement has renewed interest in the energy infrastructure projects that make such cross-border supply chains possible.

Throughout its long history in Brazil, Techint E&C has played a key role in building the arteries of Latin America’s energy integration, constructing pipelines that cross borders, expand transport capacity, and link strategic markets. In Brazil alone, the company has built and integrated more than 8,000 kilometers of pipelines for various energy operations, some 60% of the country’s entire network.

Here are some of the company’s most notable achievements:

• Santos–São Paulo Oil Pipeline (1950)

Built in the 1950s, this 240-km pipeline connects the Port of Santos to the City of São Paulo. At the time, it was one of the most complex oil infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Brazil, setting a new benchmark for the country’s logistics. When it camefully online in 1953, it drastically reduced freight volumes on the Santos–Jundiaí railway—a clear indicator of its structural impact on the nation’s energy distribution system.

• GasAndes Pipeline (1997)

Commissioned in 1997, the 463-km GasAndes pipeline links Mendoza, Argentina, withSantiago, Chile. The route crosses the Andes at high altitudes and over rugged terrain, demanding advanced engineering solutions as much for the design of the right-of-wayas for compression. Based on feasibility studies completed just a few years earlier, the project was delivered in record time, establishing a new energy corridor between the two countries.

• Perito Francisco Pascasio Moreno Gas Pipeline (Argentina, 2023)

With a length of 573 kilometers between Tratayén (Neuquén) and Salliqueló (Buenos Aires), the GPFPM (formerly GPNK) has become the largest energy infrastructure project in Argentina in the last four decades. Its construction in record time represented a milestone in engineering and coordination, with more than 10,000 people involved and the incorporation of automatic welding technologies and double joint plants. The gas pipeline increases the transport capacity of Vaca Muerta—the world's second largest reserve of unconventional gas—to the main consumption centers, marking a decisive step toward the country's energy sovereignty.

• Paraná–Uruguaiana Pipeline (2000)

The 451-km pipeline was completed in 2000 and links Paso de los Libres in Argentina to Uruguaiana in Brazil. Designed to supply a 600-MW border power plant in Rio Grande do Sul, the project strengthened bilateral energy integration and ensured a continuous gas flow between the two nations.

• Northern Gas Pipeline Reversal (2023)

Delivered in 2023, this project involved building roughly 100 km of new pipelines to reverse the flow direction, enabling gas from Vaca Muerta to reach northern Argentine provinces. With over 30 special crossings and a 1,400-strong workforce, the work was completed in just six months. The reversal is expected to save Argentina an estimated USD 1.9 billion annually.

• Bolivia–Brazil Gas Pipeline (GasBol) (1999–2000)

Brought online between 1999 and 2000, the 3,150-km GasBol pipeline includes 557 km in Bolivia and 2,593 km in Brazil. It connects Santa Cruz de la Sierra with southeastern Brazil, crossing five states and some 135 municipalities. With a transport capacity of up to 11 billion cubic meters per year, GasBol has become a cornerstone of Brazil’s energy supply.

• Shedgum–Yanbu Gas Pipeline (Saudi Arabia, 1978)

Built at the height of the Gulf's energy boom, this 1,166-kilometer megaproject connected the gas separation and processing plant in Shedgum, on the Persian Gulf, with the fractionation plant in Yanbu, on the Red Sea coast. Its execution represented an unprecedented technical and logistical challenge, crossing desert areas with extreme conditions. The project consolidated Techint as a key player in the construction of large-scale pipelines in the Middle East and laid the foundations for future energy developments in the region.

A lasting legacy for South America’s energy security

Over the decades, Techint E&C has helped shape the energy corridors that link South America’s key markets. The recent imports of gas from Vaca Muerta underscore not only the enduring value of this infrastructure but also the ongoing challenge of expanding and upgrading transport routes to meet rising regional demand. Together, these projects strengthen supply security and pave the way toward deeper energy integration across the continent.