Vaca Muerta pushes AI and youth talent programs to boost Argentine shale output

Oil firms operating in Argentina's Vaca Muerta basin are accelerating digitalisation. Companies have introduced artificial‑intelligence tools and autonomous monitoring systems that process real‑time geophysical and engineering data, predict equipment wear, optimise hydraulic‑fracturing pressures and detect early signs of gas leaks, aiming to raise extraction efficiency, cut unplanned downtime and improve environmental safety.

Alongside the technology drive, Pluspetrol has launched a new edition of its Young Trails programme to attract recent graduates and senior‑year students to roles in exploration and production. The initiative offers placements in Neuquén, funds scholarships through the provincial Gregorio Álvarez programme and supports the Instituto Vaca Muerta technical centre, with a million‑dollar contribution for the third consecutive year. The combined focus on AI and workforce development seeks to sustain the rapid expansion of the shale play over the coming decade.