According to reports in mid-November 2018, the government of Rio Negro Province has given preliminary awards for six concessions in the Neuquen Basin following its Concurso Publico Nacional & Internacional 01/2018 bid round to two operators following bids that were received in September 2018. Aconcagua Energia was awarded the Catriel Oeste production block, along with Catriel Viejo, Loma Guadalosa, and Tres Nidos exploration blocks, while President Energy was awarded the Puesto Prado production block and the exploration Las Bases block.  Aconcagua submitted a bid of over USD 16 million, with a bonus of 6.54 million for the Province, for the Catriel Oeste block. The block is currently being managed by the provincial company EDHIPSA. Meanwhile for the Catriel Viejo, Loma Guadalosa, and Tres Nidos blocks, the company proposed a combined investment of over USD 23 million along with the bonus of USD 180,000 each for the first two blocks, and USD 100,000 for the last. In comparison, President submitted a bid of over USD 24 million along with a bonus of over USD 3.9 million for the Puesto Prado block, which is also currently being managed by EDHIPSA. In addition, the company submitted a bid of over USD 4.6 million with a bonus of over USD 6 million for the Las Bases block.  The plan to put the Catriel Oeste (45.24 sq km) and Puesto Prado (43.17 sq km) blocks up for bids was previously announced in February 2018. The former is located in the Northeast Platform part of Neuquen Basin, while the latter is in the Neuquen Embayment part. Both blocks were previously operated by Central Resources before the contracts expired in February 2017 and November 2017, respectively. Catriel Oeste block includes the field with the same name that was discovered in 1959 by YPF. The field has been in production from a shallow Quintuco reservoir since 1965 with an approximate depth of 850 m. The field has 110 producing wells with about 50 water injection wells and two salt water disposal wells. Meanwhile the Puesto Prado field in the Puesto Prado block was discovered in July 1989 and put on-stream later in the same year as a producer from the Punta Rosada and Lajas Formation within the Cuyo Group.  Catriel Viejo (287.4 sq km) and the adjacent Tres Nidos block (89.14 sq km) are both situated in the Northeast Platform part of Neuquen Basin, and previously operated by Medanito up until early-2016 and late-2017, respectively. The Catriel Viejo area includes the Loma Montosa oil and gas field (shut-in in 1989), Barda Alta oil and gas field (shut-in in 2008), Chanar Brea oil discovery (2013), and Catriel Viejo oil and gas field (shut-in in 2015), while the Tres Nidos area includes the field with the same name which was shut-in in 2014.  Las Bases block (153.94 sq km) is also situated in the the Northeast Platform part of Neuquen Basin, and included the Las Bases gas and condensate field, which has not reported production since March 2017. The area also included Estancia El Colorado gas and condensate field which was shut-in in 2009. The block was formerly operated by Central Resources up until approximately mid-2017.  Loma Guadalosa block (102 sq km) is located in the Neuquen Embayment part of the Neuquen Basin, and includes the oil and gas field of the same name which was temporarily shut-in from 1985 through 2007, and has not reported production since August 2016. The block was formerly operated by Pluspetrol up until late-2016.  Background Information  The Concurso Publico Nacional & Internacional 01/2018 bid round was arranged by the Rio Negro Provinceâs Secretary of Energy, with the contact information of licitacion@energia.rionegro.gov.ar or +54 0299 4773371.
RÃ­o Negro authorities have now awarded 6 blocks offered through Concurso PÃºblico Nacional & Internacional 01/2018: Aconcagua EnergÃ­a secured the Catriel Oeste lease, 45 sq km, Catriel Viejo (287 sq km), Loma Guadalosa (102 sq km) and Tres Nidos (89 sq km), President Energy secured Puesto Prado lease (43 sq km) and Las Bases (154 sq km). State company Edhipsa will be holding a 10% stake in each.