Marin revealed this on Tuesday during a conference in Buenos Aires, which was live-streamed.
Argentina LNG is a large-scale integrated, upstream, and midstream gas development project aimed at developing the resources of the onshore Vaca Muerta field and serving international markets.
It will export in a phased approach up to 30 million tons per year of LNG by 2030.
YPF CEO said during the event that the Argentina LNG project has made “extraordinary” advances.
Moreover, Marin said he believes that in the first quarter of next year, YPF can take the final investment decisions for the phases with UK-based Shell and Italy’s Eni, along with the Golar project led by PAE.
SESA
Earlier this year, Golar announced the decision and fulfillment of all conditions precedent for the 20-year re-deployment charter of the FLNG Hilli Episeyo, first announced in July 2024.
FLNG Hilli, with a nameplate capacity of 2.45 mtpa, is expected to start its contract in 2027.
Also, the vessel will be chartered to Southern Energy (SESA), offshore Argentina.
SESA’s shareholders comprise Pan American Energy (30 percent), YPF (25 percent), Pampa Energia (20 percent), Harbour Energy (15 percent), and Golar LNG (10 percent).
In addition, Golar and SESA have signed definitive agreements for a 20-year charter for the MKII FLNG, currently under conversion at CIMC Raffles shipyard in Yantai, China.
Golar LNG said at the time the MKII FLNG charter remains subject to FID and the same regulatory approvals as granted to the FLNG Hilli project, expected within 2025.
Eni, Shell
In June, YPF and Eni signed a participation deal that outlines the necessary steps to reach FID for the third phase of YPF’s Argentina LNG export project.
This phase includes the production, treatment, transportation, and liquefaction of gas via floating units, for a total capacity of 12 million tons of LNG per year.
Eni’s COO of global natural resources, Guido Brusco recently said that “the plan is to have an FID by the first quarter of 2026.”
As per the phase with Shell, the two firms signed a project development agreement (PDA) for the second phase of the Argentina LNG export project in December 2024.
The second phase will have a capacity of 10 mtpa and two FLNGs.
