Vista Oil & Gas reported in a press release on 25 October 2018 that the Neuquen provincial government approved through a decree in September an addenda to the UTE contract on the Coiron Amargo Sur Oeste (CASO) Block that reflects Vista ceding to Shell subsidiary, O&G Developments, its 35% interest acquired as the stake of APCO in the license. This ceding of the interest was approved as part of a swap agreement on  22 August 2018 where Vista will obtain from O&G Developments a 90% stake on the Aguila Mora license, Neuquen Basin. This part of the deal is still pending approval from the authorities. The 35% ceded interest by Vista in exchange for the 90% stake in Aguila Mora also includes an additional US$ 10 million contribution from Shell to improve the water facility in the Cruz de Lorena Block in order to improve the water supply for Vista operations. Vista will retain a 10% working interest in CASO, Shell will have 80% and provincial company Gas y Petroleo del Neuquen will have 10%. Vista will hold 90% and Gas y Petroleo del Neuquen 10% working interest in Aguila Mora. This will increase Vista's total net acreage in Vaca Muerta to about 15,000 acres. The 170 sq km Aguila Mora block is located in the Vaca Muerta Shale oil window, as is the CASO Block. In December 2016 Aguila Mora, was granted a 35 year unconventional production concession. O&G Developments tested oil in 2013 from the Vaca Muerta on the Aguila Mora x-1001(h) and in July 2014 found oil and gas in the Aguila Mora x-3(h) horizontal well. The well tested 354 bo/d and some gas after a 10 stage fracturing. In December 2014, 346 bo/d with some associated gas was tested in the Aguila Mora e-5 (h) appraisal horizontal well also targeting the Vaca Muerta Shale.
Argentina, Coiron Amargo Sur Oeste