Bahía Blanca, 28 January 2026 – Between 26th and 30th December 2025, the tanker vessel VS Pride loaded 71,000 m³ of crude oil from producers in the Neuquén Basin bound for the United States. The export was carried out from Dock No. 3 in Puerto Galván, using the logistics system of the Bahía Blanca Refinery and the Derivación Pipeline recently inaugurated by Trafigura.
This new pipeline, a strategic investment made by Trafigura together with Oldelval, enables direct connection of the main pipeline system with Dock No. 3 in Puerto Galván, alleviating operational restrictions and optimising operating capacity.
The loading of the VS Pride—a 228-meter-long vessel—and the synergy with the Derivación pipeline enabled the Bahía Blanca Refinery, in coordination with the Puerto Rosales consortium, to maximise logistical efficiency, directly connecting production from the Neuquén basin with the international market.
This operation consolidates Trafigura as a strategic logistics provider for oil from Vaca Muerta, demonstrating that investments in transport infrastructure are key to scaling up the region’s export profile.
The pipeline was inaugurated in early November last year, constituting a strategic channel for the country’s crude oil transport system that improves operational flexibility and export capacity from the Neuquén Basin.
The new pipeline, 14 inches in diameter and 11 kilometres in length, connects Oldelval’s Allen–Puerto Rosales main system with the Bahía Blanca Refinery. The project required an investment of over USD$30 million and was executed meeting the highest quality, safety, and environmental standards.