Vaca Muerta methane emissions drop 31% despite production growth

The Neuquén provincial government has released the first results from its greenhouse gas monitoring system for the hydrocarbon sector, revealing a significant decoupling of production and emissions in the Vaca Muerta region. Between 2023 and 2025, hydrocarbon production increased by 31.55%, while methane emissions decreased by 31.28%.

The report highlights a substantial reduction in emission intensity, which measures methane emitted per unit of energy produced. This indicator fell by 47.83% during the same period. Regarding total greenhouse gases, reported emissions decreased by 9.36%, with an intensity reduction of 31.10%.

The monitoring system was established under Resolution 258/2025 and was developed in collaboration with the Emissions Commission of the Argentine Institute of Oil and Gas (IAPG). The program aims to improve data precision and direct mitigation efforts toward primary emission sources. Neuquén also utilizes satellite data from the United Nations Environment Programme’s MARS system to detect significant methane emission events.