The imposing 10,000 m² building housing the offices of the Techint Group in Neuquen is a tribute to both cause and effect. Or so seem to say the lofty ceilings, comfortable rooms, hi-tech equipment and spacious open-plan offices that encourage interaction and collaboration to brainstorm and reflect on what's to come.

Its cause lies in expectations for the future. A future as seen from Tecpetrol's state-of-the-art Control Room, equipped with the latest technology and used to monitor much of the drilling, completion and logistics operations in the Neuquen basin and Fortin de Piedra.

And it is also a direct effect of the joint efforts made by the companies of the Techint Group—Tecpetrol, Techint Engineering & Construction and Tenaris—whose synergy was instrumental in building the Fortin de Piedra field facilities in record time.

Yet the building is also very much a symbol. It stands for a commitment to the community, a pledge built on a belief in an idea and the power to carry it out, firmly and decisively. Because it represents something far greater than a building. It ratifies a direction and a mission in the Neuquen Basin, where the group has a major presence.

Paolo Rocca's words at the end-of-the-year meeting were clear: “This building, which has overcome the obstacles raised by the pandemic, has come to satisfactory completion, and has today managed to surprise me. It is a mark of the Techint Group’s extraordinary presence in Neuquen. It’s the bold incarnation of a project that will benefit the country. It is hugely relevant. Behind all of this, there lies a steady, forceful ambition. This is a fundamental message. The strength and solidity of this building are a faithful and expressive representation of everything that Vaca Muerta embodies for the Techint Group."

Set some way back from the road, the building stands tall, modern, and imposing: visitors and those working in its offices walk towards it through a long parking lot framed by neat welcoming lawns. As you enter, there are three giant screens showing institutional videos behind which stretch out long spacious corridors with high ceilings guiding people to other parts of the building. The offices are an oasis of technology, design, and functionality where personnel from Tecpetrol, Techint Engineering & Construction, Tenaris, and Exiros busy themselves with their tasks. Their jobs involve coordinating and managing the projects where the companies converge, such as the Fortin de Piedra project at Vaca Muerta, the clearest result of the group's synergy and a resounding success.

At the meeting, Ricardo Markous, CEO of Tecpetrol, said that “This makes me truly happy, as it's an emblematic building for Neuquen. We’re delighted to have succeeded. Fortin de Piedra is Tecpetrol's flagship. A project that produces 14% of the country's gas output, and the largest unconventional gas field in Argentina. From this building, we can also monitor all the wells and oil and gas production at Vaca Muerta: we are at the heart of a project that is a source of pride for us, and for all of Argentina.”

“The development of Vaca Muerta is a unique opportunity for the Techint Group, as there is a close bond bringing all its companies together. It’s also a great development opportunity for the country, so we look forward to seeing all this energy production activity being promoted in the future, as its contribution is crucial in terms of creating employment, bringing in foreign exchange, and driving development,” added Javier Martínez Álvarez, CEO of Tenaris.

Carlos Bacher, CEO of Techint E&C added that “Seeing Tecpetrol, Tenaris and Techint Engineering & Construction working together in the offices gives us an idea of the tremendous power of the Group, capable of creating these huge projects and transforming them into reality. From Techint's point of view, Vaca Muerta plays a fundamental role, as the development of current and future investments in the region will help to fuel our activity, generating correspondingly greater expectations. All of this will have a direct positive impact on the development of our local office, spurring growth in the range of services being provided to companies in the sector. It’s a great satisfaction to see all this here today.”

A building looking out towards Vaca Muerta, as if we were drawing an imaginary geographical line. That is where the country’s energy future lies, and as we project our hopes and dreams, we can also envisage the possibility of providing both Chile and Brazil with energy, perhaps even the entire region. An enterprise with its feet firmly planted on the ground, one rooted in the logical premises visible on the current energy map: Vaca Muerta, the protagonist of energy in Argentina, with the Techint Group as one of the key players in the Neuquen basin.

As Paolo Rocca concluded: “At the center is our people. Every single day. We’ve weathered the pandemic, we’ve gone through difficult times, but always with consummate professionalism and commitment, which is what differentiates us from other companies. This building epitomizes the efforts of our people and is a testament to the Group's vision for the future.”