French oil giant Total is interested in partnering with Russian companies to jointly develop petrochemical projects in southern Argentina, Sergey Derkach, the trade representative of Russia in Argentina, said on Tuesday, according to MBS News.
Earlier in February, the Russian trade representative met with the management of Total Austral, an Argentina-based subsidiary of the French oil and gas company in the southern Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego.
“We were made aware that Total is interested in Russian companies becoming its partners in the petrochemical industry. They promised to tell us additional information,” Derkach told reporters.
The local authorities in Tierra Del Fuego are currently assessing the number of projects in the oil and gas sector, including expanding natural gas production and creating a petrochemical cluster for making fertilizers.
Russia’s Ambassador to Buenos Aires Dmitry Feoktistov said this month that Tierra del Fuego officials expressed interest in cooperating with Moscow in the field of gas production and exploration.
“The production and exploration of hydrocarbons, primarily gas, both on the territory of the province itself and in the open ocean [offshore] as well,” is a potential area of cooperation between Russia and the Argentinian region, the diplomat said. “We have companies that are interested in that. Governor [Gustavo Melella] has also confirmed to us that the province will be interested in working with Russia to carry out economic projects,” he said.
