Energy trade balance posted a US$892 million surplus in July

Argentina's energy trade balance recorded a US$892 million surplus in July, driven by growing unconventional oil and gas production alongside reduced fuel import needs. The result far exceeded the US$217 million posted in the same month of 2025.

Sector exports totaled US$1.506 billion, up 97.8% year-on-year. According to the breakdown by prices and volumes, fuel and energy shipment volumes grew 67.6%, while average prices rose 19.5%.

Crude oil ranked as Argentina's second-largest export product during the month, with sales of US$1.020 billion. The figure accounted for 11.5% of total exports, trailing only corn shipments.

Meanwhile, imports of fuels and lubricants reached US$614 million, down 7.3% from a year earlier. The decline reflected a 14.9% drop in purchased volumes, which offset a 2.5% increase in prices. Liquefied natural gas, electricity and diesel were among the main items imported.

The monthly balance came in below the highs recorded in May, at US$1.510 billion; April, at US$1.488 billion; and March, at US$1.091 billion. The slowdown occurred during the period of peak winter demand, although domestic supply allowed for a positive result to be sustained.

In the January-July accumulated total, the energy trade balance reached a surplus of US$6.853 billion. The United States was the top destination for energy exports, with purchases totaling US$2.360 billion, while Chile accounted for US$1.735 billion in transactions, boosted by crude oil transport from the Neuquén basin.

With information from Mejor Energía.