Statoil to Explore for Shale Oil, Gas in Argentina
Norway's Statoil (STO) has signed a deal with Argentina's leading energy company YPF to jointly explore for onshore shale oil and gas resources in the Vaca Muerta formation, the company said on Friday.
Statoil and YPF will each hold 50 percent in the Bajo del Toro exploration block, it said. Statoil will recognise YPF's past costs in the block and will finance 100 percent of the costs of some activities, it added.
"This is a light oil exploration project in a world-class unconventional resource play, the Vaca Muerta formation," Statoil's exploration chief Tim Dodson said.
One of the world's largest shale gas formations, roughly the size of Belgium, Vaca Muerta has remained mostly undeveloped so far due to high production costs and lack of labour flexibility.
Argentinian President Mauricio Macri reached a deal this year with unions and oil companies, including Chevron (CVX) and Royal Dutch Shell (RYDAF) to support the development.
The Bajo del Toro exploration permit covers an area of 157 square km in the Neuquen Basin in the west-central part of Argentina.
The agreements with YPF have to be approved by the Neuquen provincial authorities, Statoil said.
(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis and Gwladys Fouche; editing by Susan Thomas)
(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis and Gwladys Fouche; editing by Susan Thomas)
