In force since May 28, 2026
Mature areas: 6% royalties for 2 years to revive conventional output
Decreto 13/26 (Official Gazette 6458)
in executionPROVINCIAL
Energy and natural resources
Decreto 13/26 ends the Medianera and Rinconada concessions, puts them out to tender and cuts royalties from 15% to 6% during the continuity plan.
The other rules on this subject43
The State reorders the trunk gas pipelines and forces firm transportation contracts to be redrawnRes. SE 66/2026 (Official Gazette, Mar 13, 2026) + Res. ENARGAS 409/2026in execution
Hydrocarbons: the pre-export local offer fallsSE Res. 166/2026 (Official Gazette, Jul 22, 2026)in force
What changed and who it applies to
What changed
It terminates the concessions of the 'Medianera' and 'Rinconada - Puesto Morales' areas and approves National and International Public Tender 02/25 to reassign them (together with Las Bases, forfeited by President Petroleum). The incentive: during the Operational Continuity Plan (2 years) the royalty drops from 15% to 6% (textual mechanics: '15% + X, where X = -9%'), and the remaining 8-year period carries royalties tied to the area's potential; the surface fee can be offset against remediation of pre-existing environmental liabilities. Declared objective: operational and employment continuity over revenue. verif Jan 8, 2026 ↗
In force
Awarded by Decreto 548/26 (Official Gazette 6494, 28-May-2026): 'Medianera' and 'Rinconada-Puesto Morales' went to Geopetrol Drilling S.A. for 10 years from contract signing, with approved plans totalling USD 6.17 M (Medianera USD 0.605 M continuity + USD 1.625 M development; Rinconada-PM USD 1.4 M + USD 2.54 M). 'Las Bases' was declared VACANT (no bidders at the 27-Feb-26 opening) and remains under provincial administration. verif May 28, 2026 ↗
Who it applies to
Conventional-oil SMEs (Geopetrol, Petrolsur and the Titanium-Emepa joint venture competed; the latter did not qualify) and oil employment in Catriel and the province's northwest, hit by the decline of mature fields (municipal labor emergency Res. 35/2025 verif). verif May 28, 2026 ↗
The norm
Decreto 13/26 (DECTO-2026-13-E-GDERNE-RNE), Viedma, Jan 8, 2026; published in Boletín Oficial 6458 of Jan 15, 2026. File 202.314-SEyA-2.2025. verif Jan 15, 2026 ↗
Our reading
The realistic flip side of the corridor: while shale and midstream grow, the old conventional is sustained by lowering the entry price (6% royalty, surface fee offsettable against remediation). It is continuity policy, not rent policy - the decree's own recitals say so: 'sustaining the viability of the associated economies' matters more than the bonus. For small investors it is an entry door into upstream with cheap producing assets; the risk is inheriting environmental liabilities that the fee offset only partially covers. thesis
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Analysis and curation: Ignacio Aredez
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