Chile, Argentina in talks for energy deal

Chile and Argentina are in the process of establishing a new energy-trading partnership, Chile’s Energy Minister Andrés Rebolledo announced on Thursday.

Argentina, which used to export gas to Chile, last year imported LNG from its neighbour as gas to make up the shortfall in domestic energy supply. Chile also supplied Argentina with 101 GWh of electricity. Chile’s Empresa Nacional de Petróleo (ENAP) and Argentina’s state-owned Energía Argentina Sociedad Anónima, or Enarsa, are in talks to repeat the deal, according to Platts.

The new proposal, which Rebolledo will present to his Argentine counterpart Juan José Aranguren next week, will make use of the two countries’ long shared border to optimise trade and make up for gaps in Argentina’s infrastructure.

Gas from Argentina’s Neuquén field in the south would be sent to southern Chile via an existing pipeline, as there is no way of sending it north to Buenos Aires.

Argentina this week also announced a two-part bond issuance of USD 7 billion. USD 3.25 billion of 5-year bonds were issued at 5.625% and USD 3.75 billion 10-year bonds at 7.00%. Bookrunners included HSBC, Santander and Deutsche Bank.

AES Argentina Generació, a power generation company, is set to announce an unsecured bond issuance following an investor meeting roadshow set to conclude January 25 in New York. The value of the issuance has yet to be confirmed.

Image courtesy of the Santiago Times