YPF

Operating in the oil and energy industry, YPF is a state company and the largest oil and natural gas producer in Argentina working to generate efficient and reliable energy by developing and producing oil and gas from conventional, unconventional and renewable sources.

Having celebrated 100 years in business in 2022, YPF works to improve oil and gas upstream and downstream activities across Argentina with the company identifying the opportunity to became self-reliant in frac sand which would generate savings in their overall operation. 

In recent years, Argentina has received global attention for its shale plays, including most recently the Vaca Muerta basin, located in the Neuquén province, which has enormous potential for obtaining gas and oil resources. 

The Vaca Muerta oil and gas fields in northern Patagonia are home to the second-largest shale gas reserves and the fourth-largest shale oil reserves in the world[1]. Despite a slump in output throughout 2020, as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, oil and gas output is now on the rise. 

Shale oil production in Vaca Muerta peaked in January this year, with estimations reporting that that oil output surpassed 220,000 barrels per day (bpd) in January, while gross gas volumes increased from 1.56 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd) in December to 1.67 Bcfd in January, which exceeds the pre-pandemic peak[2].

Its significant development potential and that of other formations throughout Argentina has created opportunity for upstream processes and others in the supply chain, including frac sand producers, to maximize opportunities from exploration and production by energy companies. 

Limited infrastructure and resources meant that YPF required a highly efficient, modular, and reliable solution that would help maximize product yield at the lowest possible operational cost while flexible enough to change according to the frac sand market needs. If the business was to capitalize on the growing demand it also needed a solution that could be deployed quickly.