Gasoducto Norte Gas Pipeline

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Gasoducto Norte is an operating natural gas pipeline running from northern Argentina to the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.

Location

The Gasoducto Norte pipeline runs between Campo Durán in Argentina's Salto province and the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, passing through the San Jerónimo compressor station in Santa Fe province, where it connects with TGN's Centro Oeste Gas Pipeline. From San Jerónimo, a spur segment (Gasoducto Aldao-Santa Fe) runs north to interconnections with the Paraná-Uruguayana Gas Pipeline and the Gasoducto del Noreste Argentino.

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Project Details

• Operator: Transportadora de Gas del Norte S.A. (TGN)
• Owner: GasInvest SA (56%), Southern Cone Energy Holding Company Inc (24%), Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos SA (20%)
• Parent Company: Tecpetrol SL (28%), CGC-Compañía General de Combustibles (28%), Southern Cone Energy Holding Company Inc (24%), Bolsas y Mercados Argentinos SA (20%)
• Capacity: 10.22 bcm/y (28 million m³ per day)
• Length: 1454 kilometers
• Diameter: 24 inches
• Status: Operating
• Start Year: 1960
• Associated infrastructure:
  • Juana Azurduy Gas Pipeline
  • Centro Oeste Gas Pipeline

Background

The Gasoducto del Norte, which began operating in 1960, was originally designed to transport Bolivian fossil gas southwards through northern Argentina into the Pampas region surrounding Buenos Aires. The pipeline supplies fuel to customers in eight Argentine provinces (Salta, Jujuy, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Catamarca, Córdoba, Santa Fé, and Buenos Aires). Together with the Centro Oeste Gas Pipeline, it forms part of the TGN Pipeline Network.

Reversal of direction to transport gas from Vaca Muerta instead of Bolivia

In mid-2023, Argentina completed construction of the first section of the Néstor Kirchner Gas Pipeline, allowing the country to substantially increase production and transport of fossil gas from its Vaca Muerta formation. This increase in domestic gas supplies, together with a decline in Bolivia's export potential, led to a decision to reverse the flow of the Gasoducto Norte. Conversion of the pipeline to transport gas north rather than south, which would require the development of additional compressor stations and other new infrastructure, was expected to take place between late 2023 and mid-2024.

In July 2023, the Argentine government announced that it would launch a tender for the US$ 750 million pipeline reversal project. Once complete, the reversal would allow Argentina to send Vaca Muerta-sourced gas to northern Argentina, while also facilitating exports to Chile via the NorAndino and Atacama gas pipelines. In addition, reversal of the Gasoducto Norte could eventually allow Argentina to export Vaca Muerta gas to Bolivia and Brazil.

The pipeline reversal project comprised several elements, including the La Carlota-Tío Pujio gas pipeline (designed to connect the Centro Oeste Gas Pipeline with the Gasoducto Norte) and new infrastructure to reverse the direction of flow at several compressor stations along the route.

In January 2024, Argentina's state-owned energy company ENARSA awarded a contract to UTE Techint-Sacde for construction of the first 100 km of pipeline, and in March 2024 ENARSA signed a contract for the remaining 22 km with the Argentine engineering firm BTU. As of May 2024, construction of the first 100 kilometers of pipeline was complete, with the remaining 22 kilometers scheduled for completion by August 2024. Hydraulic tests were underway along the full length of the completed pipeline in August 2024, with commissioning expected in mid-September 2024.

In April 2024, ENARSA signed a contract with ESUCO to reverse the direction of flow at four compressor stations along the Gasoducto Norte: Ferreyra and Deán Funes in Córdoba province, Lavalle in Santiago del Estero province, and Lumbreras in Salta province. Flow reversal at the first two stations was expected to take effect in March 2025, with the remaining two stations to be completed by June 2025.

In November 2024 the La Carlota-Tio Pujio Gas Pipeline, designed to feed Vaca Muerta gas into the Gasoducto del Norte, was officially inaugurated and placed into service, marking an important step forward in reducing Argentina's reliance on Bolivian exports.

Technical Description

The main pipeline is 1454 kilometers (903 miles) in length) and 24 inches in diameter, with a total capacity of 28 million cubic meters per day (10.22 billion cubic meters per year).

Along the pipeline's route are 12 compressor stations, one of which (San Jerónimo station) is shared with the Centro Oeste Gas Pipeline. Other compressor stations are at Pichanal, Miraflores, Lumbreras, La Candelaria, Tucumán, Lavalle, Recreo, Deán Funes, Ferreira, Tío Pujio and Leones.

Operator

The pipeline is operated by Transportadora de Gas del Norte S.A.