Rio Negro Opens 9 Bids for 4 Neuquen Basin Blocks

Argentina's Rio Negro province has opened nine technical bids for four blocks in the Neuquen basin, according to a statement from the provincial government's hydrocarbons department.

The province received bids from the following: Petrolera Entre Lomas and Cliveden Petroleo for the Agua Amarga block; Interenergy Argentina and Cliveden Petroleo for the Lago Pellegrini block; Petrolifera Petroleum, Interenergy and CGC for the Vaca Mahuida block; and Petrolifera Petroleum and Interenergy for the Villa Regina block.

The province could establish a date for the opening of economic bids after analyzing technical bids over the next two weeks, a source in the provincial hydrocarbons department told BNamericas.

The province did not receive bids for the Aguada de Cordoba, El Cuy and Meseta Baya blocks that were also included in the province's second offering of blocks. These blocks have high-exploratory risk and, along with Villa Regina, are in the basin's marginal sector, the statement said.

The province aims to include the areas in the third tender of remaining blocks in the Neuquen basin, the source said.

The third round is tentatively scheduled for mid-April, according to the statement.

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