Argentina midstream operator Oleoductos del Valle SA (Oldelval) confirmed the execution of Duplicar Norte, a new project aimed at expanding transport capacity for unconventional oil from the Vaca Muerta formation in Argentina’s Neuquén basin.
The estimated $380-million initiative—designed to strengthen the main pipeline system connecting the production zone to logistics hubs and Atlantic export terminals—was announced following signing or ship-or-pay transportation contracts with Pluspetrol, Chevron, Tecpetrol, and state-owned Gas y Petróleo del Neuquén (GyP).
The Duplicar Norte project envisages construction of a 207-km, 24-in. OD pipeline linking the Puesto Hernández pumping station in northern Neuquén to the Allen station in Río Negro.
"Duplicar Norte will unlock the full development potential of the basin’s Northern Hub, integrating into the main trunk system and providing predictability for operators," the company said in an official statement.
Early commissioning is scheduled for late 2026, with full operational startup expected in first-quarter 2027. The project also will include installation of an automated measurement unit in Allen, enabling crude transfers of 20,000-45,000 cu m/day to the VMOS logistics network.
The project adds to Allen’s role as an energy logistics hub. The town is the starting point of the recently completed Duplicar Plus system, which expanded Oldelval’s transport capacity by 300,000 b/d to the Puerto Rosales terminal in Bahía Blan. The $1.4-billion Duplicar Plusproject included the construction of a 150-km pipeline, high-pressure pumping stations, advanced automation systems, and expanded storage capacity.
Outside of these expansions, Oldelval recently shelved its proposed $500-million Duplicar X initiative also proposed as to increase transportation capacity. The company cited the absence of final shipper agreements as the reason it suspended the 300-km parallel route, originally scheduled to begin construction in second-half 2025.
Oldelval currently transports 85% of Vaca Muerta’s crude output.
