Vaca Muerta drives petrochemical agenda to attract investments
Vaca Muerta's growth has renewed expectations in the chemical and petrochemical industry, which sees greater gas and liquids availability as a foundation to expand production, develop new businesses, and export goods with higher value-added content.
Business executives and specialists discussed these opportunities at the annual Petrochemical Day 2026 meeting, organized by the Chamber of the Chemical and Petrochemical Industry (CIQyP) and the Argentine Petrochemical Institute (IPA). The discussion focused on the integration between energy, mining, and agriculture.
Matías Campodónico, president of CIQyP and Dow for Latin America, stated that Vaca Muerta's development can generate opportunities to produce inputs for other industrial chains. He also linked the scenario to copper and lithium expansion, as well as agricultural demand for fertilizers, agrochemicals, and technology.
Resource availability, however, was presented as a necessary but insufficient condition to attract capital. Dante Sica, founding partner of ABECEB and former minister of Production and Labor, noted that infrastructure and financing costs are central obstacles, along with the need to strengthen domestic suppliers.
The link with agriculture is clear in fertilizer production. Marcos Sabelli, CEO of Profertil, explained that natural gas can be transformed into an industrial input that impacts agricultural productivity and food production.
Mining represents another opportunity for the petrochemical sector. Luciano Bertinelli, responsible for Chemicals for Mining at BASF for Americas, highlighted the demand for chemical solutions, technology, and specialized knowledge generated by projects, with copper among the minerals with greatest potential. In turn, Pablo Lacunza, industrial director Latam South at Atanor/Albaugh, stressed that international competitiveness will be decisive for attracting production and sustaining new investments.
The sector's agenda aims to integrate value chains, expand exports, and increase the participation of Argentine companies in energy, mining, and agriculture supply. To achieve this, identified priorities include investment, training, competitiveness, and supplier development.
Information from Mejor Energía.