Vaca Muerta achieves record activity in 2024

According to industry sources, the Vaca Muerta formation reached record activity levels last year. The number of fracturing stages—a technical measure of activity in unconventional reservoirs—totaled 17,796 throughout 2024 in Vaca Muerta, according to a report by the Fundación Contactos Energéticos.

This figure surpasses the previous record set in 2023 by 20.6%, which saw 14,747 fracturing stages.

Activity last year was again led by YPF, Argentina's largest hydrocarbon producer. The report notes that YPF accounted for 49% of the activity as of March, completing a total of 8,732 fracturing stages.

Vista followed with 2,396 stages, and Tecpetrol ranked third with 1,456 stages. Other companies conducting fracturing activity included PAE, Shell, Pluspetrol, Total, ExxonMobil, Phoenix, Pampa Energía, Chevron, and Capex.

Vaca Muerta, the world's second-largest unconventional gas reserve and fourth-largest unconventional oil reserve, is in a stage of growing large-scale development.

The massive formation, first explored by YPF in 2013, has since attracted $50 billion in investments for its development.