Question 1

How does a company become an approved supplier for YPF or another Vaca Muerta operator?

Accepted Answer

Each operator runs its own supplier register, with documentary, corporate, tax and health-and-safety requirements that must remain current throughout the relationship. The process requires corporate, employment and social security records to be in order before registration begins. We handle the full approval process: preparing the file, clearing objections and maintaining active supplier status.

Question 2

What is the RIGI, and does it make sense for a mid-sized company?

Accepted Answer

The Large Investment Incentive Regime (Law 27,742) grants tax, customs and foreign exchange stability to projects above certain investment thresholds. For a mid-sized company, the question is less about joining the regime directly and more about positioning itself as a supplier to admitted projects, which pass part of their benefits down the value chain. We assess each case against the real structure of the business.

Question 3

Is it necessary to incorporate a company in Neuquén in order to operate in the basin?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. A company incorporated in any Argentine jurisdiction can contract and operate in Neuquén; what local operations do require are the corresponding tax registrations — turnover tax under the Multilateral Agreement, municipal levies — and, depending on the activity, specific provincial registers. Whether to incorporate a local company or open a branch depends on the structure of the business, not on any general legal requirement.

Question 4

Which collective bargaining agreement applies to staff in Vaca Muerta?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the task, not on the location. Hydrocarbon activity is governed mainly by CBA 644/12 (operations staff) and CBA 637/11 (supervisory and professional staff), together with the 2017 Vaca Muerta Addendum for unconventional fields; infrastructure construction falls under the UOCRA regime; and administrative or service roles under their own agreements. Misclassification is one of the most expensive employment exposures in the basin: it is worth settling before hiring.

Question 5

How does a company based in another province pay turnover tax when it operates in Neuquén?

Accepted Answer

Through the Multilateral Agreement (Convenio Multilateral), which allocates the tax base across the jurisdictions where the company has expenses and income. Operating in Neuquén without registering in the jurisdiction generates excess withholdings and collections that are then difficult to recover. The joint legal and accounting review by Vaca Muerta Desk covers classification under the Agreement, local registrations and the operators’ withholding regimes.

Question 6

What licenses are required to operate out of Añelo?

Accepted Answer

Municipal licenses depend on the type of activity: commercial, services, industrial or logistics. Depending on the case, provincial environmental and safety requirements apply on top. The team’s local presence means these filings are handled directly before the authorities in Añelo and the Province of Neuquén, without relying on remote processing.

Question 7

What do operators require from their suppliers beyond approval?

Accepted Answer

Quality and safety certifications appropriate to the line of business, insurance with specific clauses, auditable employment and social security compliance for all staff involved — both direct and subcontracted — and demonstrable financial standing. Joint and several liability under Sections 29 to 31 of the Employment Contract Law (LCT) means operators pay particular attention to the employment position of their contractors.

Question 8

What determines how long it takes to set up an operation in the basin?

Accepted Answer

Three fronts that are best worked in parallel: corporate and tax (registrations and filings), employment (collective agreement classification and staff registrations) and commercial (supplier approval with the operators). Sequence matters: starting the approval process before the tax and employment structure is settled usually means redoing submissions. A well-sequenced set-up plan avoids most delays.

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