BUENO AIRES, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The Argentine government authorized private companies to import and sell liquefied natural gas -- a move that removes the state from those operations and accelerates the privatization of Enarsa, the country's public energy company.
The decision was formalized through a decree signed by President Javier Milei and published in the Official Gazette this week. The decree also extends through December 2027 a state of emergency in natural gas transportation and distribution, underscoring continued strain on the system.
Enarsa has historically handled production, transportation and marketing of oil, natural gas and electricity in Argentina. With the new policy, the government begins dismantling that role and shifting functions long overseen by the state to the private sector.
The decision addresses a long-standing structural problem. According to the Secretariat of Energy, Argentina lacks sufficient pipeline capacity to move all gas from producing areas to major urban centers.
That limitation becomes acute in winter. As heating demand rises, domestic supply falls short and the country must import liquefied natural gas by ship.
