On June 4, 2026, the Government of the Province of Santa Cruz, through its Ministry of Energy and Mining, published in the Official Gazette the call for **National and International Public Tender No. 02/MEyM-ENERMIN/2026**, seeking an exploration permit for the “Sur Río Deseado Este” area, located in the Golfo San Jorge Basin, Province of Santa Cruz. The bid-opening session for the technical and legal qualification envelope is scheduled for this Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 12:00 p.m., at the Ministry’s headquarters in Río Gallegos. This report summarizes the background of the tender, its main terms, and the broader provincial strategy it forms part of.

I.  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Tender No. 02/MEyM-ENERMIN/2026 seeks to award an exploration permit over the “Sur Río Deseado Este” area, located within the Golfo San Jorge Basin. The area has remained inactive for more than two decades. The tender originated from a private initiative and is designed as an open, competitive process allowing participation by both domestic and international companies with the technical and financial capacity to develop the project, particularly given the heavy-viscosity characteristics of the hydrocarbons present in the area. The bidding package is valued at USD 10,000 and is sold exclusively in digital format upon proof of payment. The qualification-envelope opening is set for July 22, 2026, at the Ministry of Energy and Mining’s offices in Río Gallegos.

II. BACKGROUND

The tender is part of a broader policy driven by the administration of Governor Claudio Vidal to recover the province’s hydrocarbon potential through private investment. Santa Cruz’s Ministry of Energy and Mining, through its Secretariat of State for Hydrocarbons, has pursued a series of measures aimed at reactivating the Golfo San Jorge Basin, including the transfer of mature areas to new operators and the promotion of private capital to modernize existing infrastructure, increase production, and sustain employment in the sector. Energy and Mining Minister Jaime Álvarez has stated that the tender is intended to attract investments, create jobs, and strengthen production-related infrastructure, particularly in the northern flank of the province, an area of key strategic interest to the provincial government.