Engineer Alejandro Aguirre, Minister of Energy of Tierra del Fuego , confirmed that together with Governor Gustavo Melella and the Secretary of Malvinas Andrés Dachary ; agreed in not authorizing the transfer of the shares that Wintershall Dea Argentina owns the Fenix offshore field - existing on the northern coast of the Atlantic coast of the Grande Island of Tierra del Fuego -; to the company British oil company Harbor Energy .
In any case, Aguirre pointed out that after the international information referred to, the operation announced at the end of December 2023; The Fuegian government has not yet been officially notified by Wintershall.
Furthermore, he said; that that same day the news became known, they sent a note to the three partners (Total Austral, Panamerican Sur and Wintershall) ; and that Total Austral replied that they had not received any news from their German partner either.
“What we have analyzed with Dachary is to reject the agreement. First publicly, and then to warn that we are not going to allow any transfer,” said the minister.
Aguirre explained that the request for the transfer of assets must first go through the Executive and then through the legislature. And that Harbor Energy , in addition; You have to open a file before the Ministry of Energy of the Nation. Matter that, in such case; It would be delayed given that President Javier Milei has just now appointed a person in charge of the area.
The December 2023 announcement
On December 23, the international press reported that the British Harbor Energy had acquired almost all of the oil and gas operations of the German company Wintershall Dea in Argentina, in a package that included the activity in Vaca Muerta and its participation in the Tierra del Fuego offshore Fénix Project.
The Phoenix Project of Tierra del Fuego
With a planned maximum production of 10 million cubic meters of gas per day, the Fénix offshore project is expected to supply natural gas for more than 15 years, starting in 2025.
Fénix is part of the Cuenca Marina Austral-1 concession in which Wintershall Dea and TotalEnergies (operator) each have a 37.5% stake, while Panamerican Energy owns the remaining 25%.The total joint investment for this project is US$700 million.
Currently, in Tierra del Fuego; The four gas fields Cañadón Alfa, Aries, Carina and Vega Pléyade produce in CMA-1, and already supply 16% of Argentina's natural gas demand.
In the on shore area there are 32 wells that generate 2 million cubic meters per day, while in the off shore area there are 3 platforms with a total of 8 wells that provide 15 million cubic meters per day.
