The Beginning of the Shale Revolution in Argentina

Abstract

The United States has experienced an oil and gas production boom since 2000 after the development of advanced hydraulic fracturing techniques made production from shale plays viable. Argentina has comparable shale hydrocarbon resources to the United States but has not experienced the same oil and gas production boom. The technology and funds are available to develop Argentina’s shale plays, but poor energy policy and unstable national economics and politics have thus far hindered shale development in Argentina. Argentina’s government has serious national financial problems to solve and thus there is a huge incentive to create a profitable environment for foreign investors to help develop the nation’s shale resources. The government, and its policies, will have to be stable for this development to flourish in the long-term.