Implementation of a joint agenda with an impact on energy between Argentina and Bolivia

Argentina and Bolivia share a common strength with their resources of oil, gas, and lithium, as well as the opportunity and challenge of being able to manufacture value chains on these energy resources. In this sense, a working meeting was held with representatives from Argentina, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MINCyT), YPF, Y-TEC, CONICET, Bolivia, the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energies and the Bolivian Lithium Oil Fields (YLB). ) And Bolivian Fiscal Oilfield (YPFB), headed by the Head of the Science Portfolio, Roberto Salvareza, and his hydrocarbon and energies counterpart, Franklin Molina Ortiz. The main objective of the meeting was to set a common agenda for scientific and technological exchange and development in energy matters, especially for the development of extraction and manufacturing of lithium, hydrocarbons and renewable energies.

“From the outset, we expressed our intention to work with Bolivia on these issues. This meeting represents a much greater opportunity for scientific, technological and innovation cooperation between two governments with a similar vision: Knowledge is essential to achieving more inclusive and just societies and we must work together in the region to find solutions that give us greater independence. We must intensify our cooperation in both the training and development of our human resources and in the participation of our countries in the entire productive chain of our natural resources. Argentina faces a series of innovations and projects in the field of lithium, gas and oil. With regard to lithium, we are working On strengthening human resource development capabilities in relation to lithium technology and the value chain (from metals to battery manufacturing), for example, Jujuy’s R&D Center for Advanced Materials and Energy Storage (CIDMEJu) is working on the issue of lithium extraction. Two installation pilot plants in Argentina, one in Jujuy (1) for extraction technologies and the other in La Plata (2), dedicated to building batteries for storing wind and energy energy Solar power. Regarding oil and gas technology, we are working with Y-TEC on conventional and unconventional resources, exploration of reservoirs, and new technologies applied to gas and oil, ”the minister explained about the state of energy resources.

For his part, Franklin Molina Ortiz said, “The exchange between sister countries is very important, and above all to be able to rely on technological sovereignty and renewable resources,” highlighting the common political vision between the two countries, in this sense, Deputy Minister. From High Technologies Energetics, Alvaro Arnez mentioned the geopolitical importance of our countries by being part of the “lithium triangle” and, in this sense, the importance of working together to advance sovereign development.

Finally, the Undersecretary for Institutional Coordination of the Ministry, Pablo Nونñez, highlighted the importance of reaching concrete agreements at the meeting: “This is the beginning of a bi-national agenda that will strengthen the scientific and technological systems of both countries.”

Argentine-Bolivian Scientific and Technological Exchange and Development
In order to deepen the formulation and exchange of scientific and technological resources of countries, it becomes necessary to achieve sovereign technological development, and for this, it is necessary to develop a scientific-technological system capable of transforming scientific knowledge into technology.

oil and gas Increasing hydrocarbon production, and developing local value chains for inputs, equipment and services associated with hydrocarbon production.

Lithium. Argentina and Bolivia, exporters of primary inputs such as unrefined lithium carbonate, are seeking to become manufacturers in the lithium value chain.

To meet the challenges identified, it was agreed to strengthen the cooperation of scientists and technologists from both countries in developing experimental factories for the production of lithium materials and batteries, to join the existing institutional efforts in both countries to achieve the formation of a bi-national center. A technologist in lithium, promoting exchange to train doctors and post-doctoral researchers on this topic, holding meetings and workshops for scientists and technologists from both countries to exchange experiences and build a cooperation agenda on issues related to hydrocarbon and lithium technologies.

Participate in the meeting on behalf of Argentina: From MINCyT, Ministerial Adviser for International Affairs and Cooperation, Lucila Rosso; For CONICET, CONICET Technology Interconnection Director Sergio Romano; About YPF, YPF Strategy Manager, Maximiliano Westen; From the YPF Headquarters Unit, Hernan Letcher; Chief Executive and International Affairs, Joaquín Mahjoubian Diaz; YPF Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, Marcus Sabelli; By Y-TEC, General Manager of Y-TEC, Santiago Sacredot, Chairman of Y-TEC Board of Directors, Eduardo Dvorkin, and Argentine Ambassador to Bolivia, Ariel Pastero. For Bolivia, CEO of Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos Corporación (YLB), Marcelo Gabino González Saic; YPFB CEO, Wilson Zelaya; Among the other actors.

(1) In Argentina, CIDMEJu (the Inter-Institutional Steering Board consisting of the Jujuy National University, CONICET and the Jujuy Government through the Minister of Science and Technology in the Ministry of Education) is engaged in extractive electrolysis processes for extracting from a brine of calcium carbonate and other salts and rare earths for water recovery Evaporation by condensation.

(2) A consortium made up of the National University of La Plata (UNLP), CONICET, the Institute for Scientific and Technical Research of Defense (CITEDEF) and Y-TEC is building an industrial scale plant capable of producing cells and batteries using an energy storage capacity of 7MWh / year.