The construction of the Vaca Muerta Oil Sur pipeline, carried out by Techint SACDE joint venture, is progressing steadily. This is a key work to enhance crude oil export capacity from the Neuquén Basin.

With each advance, the Vaca Muerta Oil Sur (VMOS) pipeline reaffirms its strategic value as one of the most important energy infrastructure works of the last 50 years in Argentina. The 437-kilometre, 30-inch diameter pipeline will connect the town of Allen with Punta Colorada, in the province of Río Negro. It will allow for the dispatch of more than 180,000 barrels of crude oil per day in Phase I and, once Phase II is completed, it will reach a capacity of up to 550,000 barrels per day.

The project marked a new milestone with the first automatic welding on a regular line, carried out in the vicinity of Chelforó. This technical breakthrough represents the beginning of a new stage in the construction of the pipeline.

Currently, more than 1,800 people make up the VMOS high-performance teams.

“The project is being developed in the heart of the Argentine Patagonia, in an area with no nearby towns. This led us to build three camps along the route from scratch, with a capacity to house approximately 800 people each,” said Alejandro Cardone, Project Manager.

“It is an extremely challenging project from a logistical point of view, requiring the coordinated mobilisation of more than 1,800 people and 660 pieces of equipment, as well as the comprehensive development of operational premises,” added Ricardo Unzner, Deputy Project Manager.

To meet the demanding deadlines and ensure quality, the joint venture is working with state-of-the-art technology such as automatic welding and double-joint plant, which has already been successfully used in other large-scale projects in Argentina.

Click below to watch the video and learn more about the project and its protagonists.