Trafigura completed its first crude export using Argentina’s new Derivación pipeline, linking the Neuquén Basin to Puerto Galván and boosting export capacity from Vaca Muerta.
(P&GJ) — Trafigura has completed its first crude oil export using the newly commissioned Derivación pipeline in Argentina, marking a milestone for oil exports from the Neuquén Basin.
Between December 26 and December 30, 2025, the tanker VS Pride loaded about 71,000 cubic meters of crude oil at Dock No. 3 in Puerto Galván for shipment to the United States. The export was carried out using the logistics system of the Bahía Blanca Refinery and the Derivación pipeline, which was inaugurated in early November.
The Derivación pipeline provides a direct connection between the main pipeline network and Dock No. 3, easing prior operational constraints and improving export logistics. The system links Oldelval’s Allen–Puerto Rosales pipeline with the Bahía Blanca Refinery, allowing crude from the Neuquén Basin to reach international markets more efficiently.
The loading operation involved the 228-meter-long VS Pride tanker and was coordinated with the Puerto Rosales consortium. According to Trafigura, the project strengthens export capacity from the Vaca Muerta region and underscores the role of pipeline infrastructure in supporting Argentina’s growing crude export volumes.
The Derivación pipeline is 14 inches in diameter and approximately 11 kilometers (about 7 miles) long. The project required an investment of more than $30 million and is designed to improve operational flexibility within Argentina’s crude oil transportation system.