Argentine oil and gas trade unionists in the Neuquén basin have vowed to go on strike on Wednesday from 6 a.m. in support of Economy Minister Sergio Massa’s ultimatum to ban oil exports if the industry fails to redress supply shortages by Tuesday night. Massa, who is also the ruling coalition’s presidential candidate, said on Sunday that oil companies would be forbidden from exporting oil from Wednesday onwards unless the fuel shortages that have hamstrung motorists across the country are resolved by Tuesday night. “We unconditionally back the export ban announced by Massa for midnight on Tuesday,” the Private Oil Workers’ Union wrote in a statement posted to social media late Sunday. “It makes no sense that [the industry] is constantly talking about record production and at the same time there’s no gas,” they wrote. On Friday, Energy Secretary Flavia Royón reached an agreement with energy companies for Argentina to import 10 tanker ships of fuel to ease shortages.

Source: Bueno Aires Herald October 31, 2023 18:41 UTC