Tender of hydrocarbon areas in the Provinces of Mendoza and Santa Cruz
Energy Department Report | Tender of hydrocarbon areas in the Provinces of Mendoza and Santa Cruz.
A-Mendoza | Decree No. 1908/2025 of the Province of Mendoza: Call for National and International Public Tender for the Granting of Exploration Permits.
Decree No. 1908/2025 of the Province of Mendoza (“Decree 1908/25”) (published in the Official Gazette on September 9, 2025) authorized the Provincial Hydrocarbons Directorate to call for a national and international public tender for the award of exploration permits in connection with 12 hydrocarbon areas located in the Province. The main aspects of Decree 1908/2025 are detailed below:
1-Areas subject to the tender. “Atuel Exploración Sur,” “Atuel Exploración Norte,” “Boleadero,” “Calmuco,” “Chachahuen Norte,” “CN III Norte,” “Los Parlamentos,” “Puesto Pozo Cercado Occidental,” “Ranquil Norte,” “Río Atuel,” “Sierra Azul Sur,” and “Zampal.”
2-General Bidding Terms and Conditions. The call will be governed by the 2025 General Bidding Terms and Conditions approved by provincial Decree No. 1382/2025.
3-Specific conditions. The following specific conditions shall apply:
-Minimum investment: 0, except for the “Río Atuel” Area, which shall be subject to a minimum investment of 298.70 UT.
-Initial payment: 0.
-Additional specific contributions: 0.
-Exploratory activity for the Second Exploratory Period: at least one exploration well, at the depth of the nearest known reservoir.
4-Acquisition of Bidding Terms, submission and opening of bids. The provincial Hydrocarbons Directorate shall establish the date for the acquisition of the Bidding Terms (valued at US$ 15,000), the delivery of technical information regarding the relevant areas, the place, date, and time for the submission of bids, and the date for the opening of the bids.
5-Evaluation Committee. An evaluation committee is formed, which shall be in charge of the reception, evaluation, and selection of bids, preparation of the bid ranking, and submission to the Ministry of Energy and Environment of the Province of Mendoza, following prior review and reports from the technical, economic-financial, and legal divisions of the Hydrocarbons Directorate. The Award Committee shall be formed by: (a) the Undersecretary of Energy and Mining, Eng. Manuel Sánchez Bandini; (b) the Director of Hydrocarbons, Eng. Lucas Erio; (c) the Director of Environmental Protection, Lic. Leonardo Fernández; and (d) the Director of Royalties, C.P.A. Jorge Domínguez.
6-Declaration of public interest of the private initiative submitted by Petroquímica Comodoro Rivadavia S.A. The private initiative submitted by Petroquímica Comodoro Rivadavia S.A. concerning the “Río Atuel” area is declared to be of public interest, and the company is recognized as initiator thereof for purposes of the private initiative regulations.
7-Preference in favor of Hattrick Energy S.A.S. Decree 1908/2025 certifies the investment made by Hattrick Energy S.A.S. under the Technical Evaluation Agreement regarding the “Atuel Exploración Sur” area and grants Hattrick Energy S.A.S. both a preference right and the right to reimbursement of 75% of the recognized investment, in the event the company is not awarded the area.
Santa Cruz | Tender to award several hydrocarbon concessions.
Following the restitution of several concessions by YPF S.A., through Provincial Decree N° 745/2025 the Province of Santa Cruz approved the private initiate submitted by the JV Patagonia Resources S.A., Clear Petroleum S.A., Quintana E&P Argentina S.R.L., Quintana Energy Investments S.A., Roch Proyectos S.A.U., Brest S.A. and Azruge S.A. for the exploration, development and exploitation of the areas Los Monos, Barranca Yankowsky, Los Perales-Las Mesetas, Cerro Piedra-Cerro Guadal Norte, Cañadón Yatel, El Guadal-Lomas del Cuy, Cañadón Vasco, Cañadón de La Escondida-Las Heras, Pico Truncado-El Cordón, Cañadón León, Meseta Espinosa, located in the Province of Santa Cruz and associated transportation concessions.
The Decree authorized Fomicruz S.E. to call for a national public tender to that effect, approved the bidding terms and conditions and the form of concession agreement and recognized in favor of the JV, as initiator, the preference rights set forth under the applicable private initiative regulatory framework.
Tender N° 6/2025 was launched by Fomicruz S.E. during the first days of September. Purchase of the bidding terms is valued at US$ 500,000 and offers may be submitted until October 20, 2025 which is also the scheduled date for the opening of the bid.
The bidding terms require the posting of an offer maintenance bid equal to 1% of the amount of the relevant offer, to be maintained until the earlier to occur between the expiration of a 180-day term and the execution of the concession agreement. Bidders will need to submit a Committed Activities Plan for the period 2025-2031 and shall be required to evidence their technical and economic capabilities in accordance with the requirements established under the bidding terms.