The government of Argentina plans to start soon the tender process for the construction of the first stage of the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline and the Transport.Ar national production gas pipeline system. The pipelines will tap gas resources from the Vaca Muerta field in the Neuquén province. The first stage of the projects includes the construction of gas pipelines between Tratayén (Neuquén) and Salliqueló (Buenos Aires), and between Mercedes and Cardales, as well as the expansion of the NEUBA II Gas Pipeline (Ordoqui), the construction of the final sections in AMBA South and North, the reversal of the North Gas Pipeline in its stages I and II, and the expansion of the Central West Gas Pipeline.
In a second stage, the Néstor Kirchner Gas Pipeline will be extended between Salliqueló and San Jerónimo (Santa Fe), while the North Gas Pipeline is expected to be reversed, and the transportation capacity of the GNEA will be expanded. Furthermore the GNEA connection should extend to San Jerónimo and Loops, and compression capacity of the Aldea Brasilera (Gasoducto Entrerriano) to reach Brazil should be increased. The projects are expected to increase the gas transport capacity by 24 mcm/d (8.8 bcm/year) and reduce the need for LNG and diesel imports and for gas imports from Bolivia.