The blockade of the Mapuches at the YPF / Web site
Members of a Mapuche group from Neuquén kept access to YPF’s Loma La Lata field paralyzed for almost two days, preventing the entry and exit of workers and contractors.
Finally the protest was lifted and the community committed to allowing the safe entry of the workers and thus being able to normalize the gas supply in the next few hours.
In addition, YPF announced that it will continue to supply regular LPG to homes in the community.
The situation threatened to affect the energy supply throughout the country in the next few hours, mainly in Buenos Aires and its surroundings.
According to sector sources, about 3 million m3 were left out of the system in one day.
The protest occurred when a polar wave invades Argentina and household demand for gas grows.
Official projections indicate that between last night and today there will be less gas than necessary to keep the system in optimal condition.
If that happens, supply cuts would return to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) service stations that have interruptible contracts and, if worsened, even with industries that pay to have stable supply all year round.
In this complex scenario, the Government signed a contract with Bolivia to ensure gas imports starting in August, during the 45 days that the reversal of the Northern Gasduct will not be ready.
A protest by the Mapuche Painemil community began on Tuesday because a member ran out of gas in her home, which is right on the world’s second largest reserve of the fluid.
The access cut prevented some 280 YPF workers and their contractors from leaving the Loma La Lata facilities to change shifts, amid the low temperatures.
In that blockade, the truck was stuck with the bottles (Liquefied Petroleum Gas -LPG-) that would solve the problem, according to the Neuquén newspaper La Mañana.
At the moment the affected operations are only YPF, although there are others in the sector who assure that the rest of the operators are also complicated.
