From 6 p.m. onwards, the cold becomes more pronounced, and the wind disrupts your equilibrium as you navigate your way. It is the same old wind that has blown across the Neuquén plateau for centuries, the one that for decades made Añelo just another town deep in Patagonia, characterised by its small farms, goats, and seasonal grazing lands. Nothing in that scene hinted at the continuous procession of trucks filled with sand, pipes, and equipment making their way along Provincial Route 7 toward the oilfields. Beneath the town lies the crown jewel of the Neuquén Basin: Vaca Muerta, the unconventional oil and gas formation that has emerged as Argentina’s primary source of foreign currency. As of June, production exceeds 915,000 barrels of oil daily, with projections indicating that output may reach the one-million-barrel threshold by year-end. Extraction experienced a year-over-year growth of 26.4%. Consequently, crude oil export sales reached US$5.722 billion from January to July, reflecting a 59.2% increase compared to the same timeframe in 2025. In the expansive Neuquén desert, at the core of Vaca Muerta, exists a town embodying the stark contradictions of development: numerous stray dogs wander the streets while significant urban potential remains unexploited. In 2023, the extent of paved roads was limited to just 12 blocks. A paving plan initiated in 2024 increased that figure to 12,280 meters in 2025, with an additional 5,000 meters anticipated by the end of 2026. Parts of Añelo continue to experience deficiencies in sewage networks and natural gas supply; however, public works are progressing in accordance with an urbanisation plan collaboratively established with the companies active in the formation.
Mayor Fernando Banderet asserts that the municipality is undergoing transformation and that Añelo will present a markedly different landscape in three years. The ongoing projects are designed to validate his assertions: preparations are in progress for a water treatment facility, the sewage infrastructure is being enhanced, and private-sector initiatives encompass two shopping centers – one featuring an indoor private school – a riverside recreational boardwalk, a luxury hotel with a facade inspired by the United States’ White House, as well as hospitals, educational institutions, and judicial buildings. “By 2030, around 50,000 residents will live in the city,” Banderet says. The inevitable question is whether relocating to Añelo in pursuit of employment is justified. Today, Añelo presents a landscape ripe with potential for individuals equipped with a certified trade, particularly those engaged in the hydrocarbon sector or related domains such as construction, as well as for entrepreneurs pursuing ventures anticipated to yield returns in the medium to long term. However, arriving spontaneously, with a family and without a plan, is increasingly becoming less feasible over time. That is partly due to the fact that a significant number of individuals have already transitioned, and paradoxically, it is also a result of the considerable amount that remains to be constructed. The data elucidate the rationale behind this observation. The department encompassing the town experienced a notable growth of 68.4%, rising from 10,786 inhabitants in 2010 to 18,166 in 2022, marking the largest increase in the province. Within the town itself, the population increased from 6,477 to over 12,000, while 30,000 individuals transit through daily.
Furthermore, according to the report “Vaca Muerta: Employment, Migration, and Infrastructure Works,” published in September by the Neuquén Association of Chemical, Petrochemical, and Related Companies (QPQ, in Spanish), the province as a whole experienced a growth of 28.9% over the same period, increasing from 551,266 to 710,814 inhabitants, in contrast to a national average of 15.24%. Neuquén holds the position of the second-fastest-growing province in the country, following Tierra del Fuego. A few kilometres from Añelo, Ámbito visited Loma Campana, the oilfield that transformed Vaca Muerta from a geological promise into a productive reality. Operated by a majority state-owned oil and gas company YPF in collaboration with U.S. oil firm Chevron since 2013, this initiative represents the inaugural large-scale shale oil development beyond North America. It has emerged as one of Vaca Muerta’s prominent assets, contributing nearly 12% of the total crude oil extracted across the nation. Technology constitutes a significant portion of that output. Wells are constructed in a L shape, featuring horizontal branches that extend beyond 4,000 meters, with an overall drilled length surpassing 7,300 meters, segmented into three distinct stages. The process depends on geosteering, a mechanism that modifies the drill bit’s path in real time. The broader process encompasses drilling, completion, production, treatment, sales, and export. That level of sophistication is exactly what dictates the eligibility of individuals for employment in that environment.
Banderet describes a labour demand that is notable not only for its magnitude but, more importantly, for the particular skills that are necessary. “In oil operations, you need professionals with a verified technical degree. And if they have experience, even better,” the mayor says. “Young technicians can find a great opportunity.” Beyond the confines of the energy sector, the roster of in-demand professionals continues to expand, maintaining its rigorous standards. “You need welders, machinery operators, heavy transport drivers, crane and boom truck operators, grinders, and pipefitters. There is a wide range depending on the trade,” Banderet said, adding that private construction companies also need masons, carpenters, and ironworkers. There exists a necessity for fundamental urban services. “Tire repair technicians for the shop here, who always have high turnover because they can’t find people. Mechanics, auto electricians, lathe operators,” the mayor added. There exists a notable scarcity of Pilates instructors, exemplified by a hotel that employs merely one instructor while offering three mats. Additionally, there is a deficiency of pedicurists, with only a single individual commuting from the nearby Cipolletti to deliver this service, alongside a similar shortfall in manicurists. Restricted offerings coupled with elevated expenses Enrique García, proprietor of the Sol y Luna establishment and president of the Añelo Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Production, and Related Sectors, provides a comprehensive overview of the absent services, leveraging his dual role as both a business owner and a local resident.
There exists a singular glass shop, characterised by its limited offerings: it is unable to procure specialised glass or Blindex (tempered safety glass). There exists a locksmith in the area; however, its services are exclusively focused on residential tasks. Consequently, the production of coded car keys is not feasible within the town. There are no custom gutter shops available; building supply stores offer prefabricated, standardised gutters, yet there is no option for made-to-order products. Indeed, commercial opportunities are often accompanied by significant barriers to entry. According to García, rent for a commercial space can exceed $1,319 per month. He also provided examples of monthly electricity bills across different sectors: a small gift shop might incur costs of up to US$395 per month; a medium-sized minimarket, approximately US$6,597; and a kiosk like his, about US$791. What draws numerous workers to Añelo is the variety of energy projects that function as the primary economic driver of the region. Among the projects currently underway as outlined in the QPQ report is the 437-kilometer Vaca Muerta Sur oil pipeline, which surpassed 50% completion by mid-2026, creating approximately 10,000 jobs. Additionally, Techint’s Duplicar Norte project is projected to necessitate 850 workers in the first quarter of 2026. Furthermore, the Tratayén-Río Negro coast gas pipeline represents a two-year endeavour that will create approximately 1,500 jobs.
The 472-kilometer Liquefied Natural Gas pipeline, led by the Italian private firm SICIM and Víctor Contreras, commenced in mid-2026 with a projected timeline of 24 months and approximately 1,500 direct employment opportunities. Pampa Energía’s Rincón de Aranda project involves an investment of US$4.522 billion, the development of 259 wells, and the establishment of a treatment plant with a capacity to process 44,000 barrels per day. Among upcoming projects, YPF’s Integrated Gas Treatment Plant signifies a US$7 billion investment scheduled to commence in 2027, reaching a peak of 4,500 jobs. Argentina LNG, spearheaded by YPF, represents a transformative initiative for the region, entailing a substantial investment of US$51 billion. The construction phase is projected to occur between 2026 and 2030, with an anticipated average of 20,000 jobs created each year, reaching a peak of 40,000 jobs in the third year. Once operational in 2031, the project is expected to sustain approximately 8,000 permanent positions. Attracted by employment prospects, interprovincial migration resulted in a net influx of 44,810 individuals from 2020 to 2026. Meanwhile, the Aeroparque-Neuquén air route operates 52 weekly flights, exceeding 200 per month, and Aerolíneas Argentinas has established a dedicated corporate route linking Rosario, in Santa Fe province, with Neuquén. However, the report identifies one significant bottleneck across the entire chain, elucidating why employment opportunities do not necessarily lead to the prospect of settling in Añelo: rents in Neuquén surged 140% year over year, while incomes rose by 70%. “Housing and service infrastructure are not expanding at the rate of labour migration,” QPQ observes. The urban landscape remains largely characterised by residences supplied by the municipality, financed through loans from the Bank of the Province of Neuquén, with monthly payments approximating US$131.
Additionally, land parcels are acquired through monthly payments of US$79. Prefabricated homes imported from China have also arrived, providing small, modern, transportable units on a turnkey basis. Land purchases today increasingly mirror corporate investment strategies rather than family relocations to the area, yielding annual returns of approximately 10% in U.S. dollars. For landlords, rental properties in Añelo represent some of the most lucrative opportunities in the nation. Data from major real estate portals – Zonaprop, Argenprop, Properati, and iCasas – indicates that the monthly rental cost for a two-room apartment in Añelo ranges from US$989 to US$1319. Wages frequently fail to align with the rate of economic growth. Figures reviewed by Ámbito indicate that a worker in oilfield construction can earn between US$990 and US$1,450 per two-week pay period. A truck driver can expect earnings ranging from US$2,640 to US$2,970 per month. An oil worker’s earnings fall between US$2,970 and US$5,940, while a shopkeeper or cab driver with permanent employment in the area earns between US$990 and US$1,190 per month. Meanwhile, the housing deficit is approximately 60%. Gino Zavanella, director of real estate developer ZLT and the architect behind the region’s inaugural private industrial park, emphasised the necessary changes that must be implemented. “For families to relocate, development must be accompanied by education, healthcare, service hubs, and recreation. That is the town’s growth challenge,” he said. “As these amenities take shape, conditions will improve for families to settle permanently in Añelo, which is the shared goal of both the municipality and operating companies.”
