Neuquén town Añelo overwhelmed by Vaca Muerta migration surge

The mayor of Añelo in Neuquén Province warned that the rapid influx of migrants drawn by the Vaca Muerta shale oil field is saturating local health and education services. Municipal data show 1,400 new residents arrived in 2024, 1,700 in 2025 and 546 so far in 2026, with the mayor estimating the real figure is about 20 % higher. Most newcomers come from the north of Argentina, especially Salta and Tucumán, putting pressure on schools and medical facilities.

Provincial and national authorities are coordinating contingency measures. A new YPF gas pipeline, opened in March, will serve about 2,000 households, and the provincial governor highlighted the project as an effort to correct a historic lack of natural gas for residents of the production zone. YPF expects the Vaca Muerta expansion to create roughly 40,000 net jobs by 2030, while the national government promotes retraining programs for workers from lagging sectors. The province also recorded a historic oil output of 628,924 barrels of oil equivalent per day in April, up 3.13 % from March.