Argentina’s state-controlled YPF has launched negotiations with local conglomerate, Corporacion America, to build a third LNG receiving terminal south of Buenos Aires. The preliminary negotiations, which were confirmed to Argus by two industry officials, center around building regasification facilities on the La Plata River, close to existing port infrastructure in the Dock Sud district of Buenos Aires province.
Argentina currently has two LNG receiving terminals, at Bahia Blanca and Escobar, also in Buenos Aires province, which were built after the country shifted from gas exporter to importer status in the late 2000s. Increasing the LNG import capacity would help Argentina to further cut back on diesel imports that it buys at the height of winter to operate thermal plants when gas demand soars.