Energy and Environment in Vaca Muerta

The document examines the expansion of fracking in the Vaca Muerta formation, highlighting a critical gap between national economic goals and local environmental protection. It introduces the OBSERVAR geospatial platform to map risks, such as the proximity of 3,017 wells to sensitive water and population centers. The brief finds that while Neuquén has a more structured regulatory framework than Río Negro, both provinces suffer from inadequate enforcement and a lack of transparent data, with approximately 80% of fracking wastewater remaining unaccounted for. It argues for a watershed-based approach to regulation to address cross-border contamination risks.

• Vaca Muerta's hydrocarbon reserves are estimated at 308 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 16 billion barrels of oil, with current production at approximately 400,000 barrels per day and a target of 1 million barrels daily by 2030.
• Analysis using the OBSERVAR platform identifies 3,017 fracking wells in the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén located within high-risk proximities (less than 1 km) to schools, population centers, rivers, and agricultural irrigation canals, while another 2,430 wells are at medium-risk (12 km).
• Fracking operations pose a risk of contaminating groundwater by damaging older conventional oil wells; an area of 202 km, primarily in Neuquén, is identified as high risk for leaks and subsequent contamination.
• There is a significant lack of transparency and tracking regarding fracking wastewater; official data indicates that approximately 80% of produced water is unaccounted for, and only a small fraction of the millions of litres used is tracked, treated, or reused.
• Regulatory frameworks vary by province: Neuquén has a stronger structure that prioritizes human consumption and irrigation over industrial use, whereas Río Negro's policies are less detailed and contain ambiguities regarding industrial water consumption levels for fracking.
• Environmental impacts of fracking often transcend political boundaries, as the floodplain and agricultural areas in Río Negro are affected by wells approved and monitored in Neuquén, necessitating a watershed-based regulatory approach.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2024). Energy and Environment in Vaca Muerta. https://www.sei.org/publications/energy-environment-vaca-muerta-fracking/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Energy and Environment in Vaca Muerta. 2024. https://www.sei.org/publications/energy-environment-vaca-muerta-fracking/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Energy and Environment in Vaca Muerta |date=4 December 2024 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/energy-environment-vaca-muerta-fracking/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2024energy, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Energy and Environment in Vaca Muerta}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/energy-environment-vaca-muerta-fracking/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }