AI tools Lift Hopes for Argentina’s Shale Basin

YPF and Shell Argentina expand data driven workflows in Vaca Muerta as firms move to strengthen analytics foundations

10 Dec 2025

Artificial intelligence is giving renewed momentum to South America’s shale sector, with Argentina’s Vaca Muerta basin drawing fresh interest as operators trial data-driven workflows to tighten planning and reduce uncertainty. Activity is increasing even as details on large-scale deployment remain limited.

Producers are adopting analytics platforms to identify drilling targets, track subsurface trends and estimate expected well performance. The tools do not replace established engineering practice but provide an early filter that helps narrow choices. Planning cycles that once moved slowly are advancing at a quicker pace, although the durability of those gains is still developing.

YPF said it is adding analytics to its planning process to compare production options before rigs are deployed. Shell Argentina and its partners have highlighted the use of data-driven analysis across large groups of wells to detect operating patterns and refine standard procedures. Analysts view these efforts as evidence that stronger data discipline could support a more efficient expansion of Vaca Muerta, even if full AI adoption remains distant.

A cultural change is also emerging. A Neuquén energy official noted that data-focused approaches are influencing the speed of development because teams can adjust more quickly to field results. Vista Energy executives argue that digital upgrades help operators stay ahead of the learning curve, citing analytics alongside drilling and completion improvements as drivers of recent performance gains.

Challenges persist. Data architecture differs widely across the region, and dependence on older datasets risks missing advances in technique. Still, observers see scope for progress as companies test ways to link analytics with remote operations and real-time monitoring.

For South America’s shale industry, the digital shift is gathering pace. If current trials mature, Vaca Muerta could evolve into a production hub shaped as much by data systems as by geology.