BUENOS AIRES: Argentinian Energy Minister Juan Jose Aranguren is considering plans to extend a deal for importing natural gas from Bolivia beyond 2026, saying it is a cheaper source than LNG. “Bolivian gas is competitive in comparison to LNG,” Aranguren said in a statement released late Wednesday by the Bolivian Ministry of Hydrocarbons. “The more Bolivia can have and we can transport, we will receive it.” Aranguren made the comments Wednesday in a meeting with Bolivian Hydrocarbons Minister Luis Alberto Sanchez in Buenos Aires. Aranguren’s press department declined to comment on the report Thursday. According to the Bolivian statement, Argentina wants to continue importing supplies from Bolivia after a current contract expires in 2026.
Argentina is importing 20 million-22 million cu m/d this year from its northern neighbor to meet about one-sixth of its 140 million cu m/d of demand. Another 15 million cu m/d is being imported as LNG to two floating regasification terminals, and cross-border pipelines are bringing in another 3 million-5 million cu m/d from regasification terminals in Chile, Argentinian Energy Ministry data showed.
