An Argentine natural gas processing plant operated by U.S.-based Apache Corp (APA.N) was operating normally on Saturday after indigenous protests disrupted production this week, a company source said.
The plant in Neuquen province had been operating at partial capacity since Mapuche protesters managed to block traffic and briefly halt operations on Monday. The protesters want the company to leave the area.
«The blockade is suspended and the plant is operating normally,» the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity. «The team started to drill this afternoon.»
The source added that an agreement was reached after the government of Neuquen province brokered negotiations between the company and the protesters. None of the protesters were immediately available for comment.
Apache is one of the biggest energy companies in Neuquen, where huge resources of non-conventional natural gas and oil have been found, raising hopes for a transformation of the country’s energy industry. [ID:nN12163720]
Neuquen, Argentina’s most important gas-producing province, accounts for between 45 percent and 50 percent of total output of the fuel.
Source: Reuters