Pumpco, Bonatti secure $1.2 bn Vaca Muerta pipeline contract

U.S.‑based Pumpco, Italy’s Bonatti and Argentine contractor Contreras Hermanos were awarded a contract worth about $1.2 billion to build two parallel pipelines covering roughly 527 km. The 48‑inch gas pipeline and the 24‑inch multipurpose line will link Tratayén in Neuquén with Punta Colorada on the Río Negro coast, feeding the Argentina LNG project that aims to export up to 12 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas.

The consortium was selected through an electronic reverse‑auction, beating rival bids such as the Techint‑Sacde consortium. The pipelines are a key piece of YPF and ENI’s plan to transport gas from the Vaca Muerta shale formation to floating LNG liquefaction terminals. While the contract marks one of the largest pipeline awards in Argentine energy history, the start of construction depends on the final investment decision for the broader LNG export project.