Argentina approves $1.85 bn RIGI projects for San Matías gas pipeline and Sal de Oro lithium

The Argentine government formally approved two large‑scale projects under the Régimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones (RIGI). The San Matías dedicated gas pipeline, valued at US$1.3 bn, will run 471 km from Neuquén to the Río Negro coast, transport 27 million cubic meters of natural gas per day and feed floating LNG units for export. The project is expected to create up to 1,500 direct jobs during construction and generate around US$2.5 bn in annual export revenue.

The second approval concerns the second stage of the Sal de Oro lithium project, led by South Korean firm Posco, with an investment of US$547 m. The venture will double Posco’s processing capacity to 23 000 t of lithium carbonate equivalent per year, targeting annual export earnings of over US$300 m.

In parallel, governors from Argentina’s northern provinces met with Interior Minister Diego Santilli, urging accelerated gas‑infrastructure work for the NOA and NEA regions and criticizing the halt of public‑works projects under President Javier Milei’s “plan motosierra”. Their demands underscore the broader context of energy‑supply challenges that the San Matías pipeline aims to address.