Vaca Muerta Oil Reserve Revised to 30 Billion Barrels

The Argentina Vaca Muerta oil estimate has been revised to 30 billion barrels, nearly doubling the initial assessment of 16.22 billion barrels made by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) in 2013.

This significant increase is due to three key factors: a geographic expansion of the drillable footprint (+22%), recognition of additional stratigraphic pay zones, and an improved recovery factor (+54%).

The revised estimate was conducted by the Argentine Institute of Oil and Gas (IAPG) in collaboration with major operators, including YPF, Chevron, Vista Energy, and Pan American Energy, as well as university researchers and government technical specialists.