Tecpetrol is the Techint Group's E&P arm and the dominant operator at Fortín de Piedra, the largest shale gas development in Vaca Muerta's dry-gas window. The block continues to rank among Argentina's top producing unconventional fields per Oil Secretariat data. Every horizontal completion in Fortín de Piedra consumes API 19C proppant — and the cheapest ton is the one closest to the wellpad. In-Basin Sand sits 30 km from Añelo and inside the Neuquén logistics envelope.
Fortín de Piedra lies in the gas-rich northern Vaca Muerta, with operational logistics flowing through Añelo and the Neuquén industrial corridor. Dry-gas completions consume finer mesh cuts (-70/+140) to place proppant deeper in tight shale matrices. In-Basin Sand produces exactly that cut under API 19C.
| Origin | Distance to Fortín de Piedra corridor | Freight driver |
|---|---|---|
| Malargüe (In-Basin Sand) | ~30 km to Añelo hub | Local truck only |
| Río Negro sources | 200–400 km | Mid-haul |
| Ibicuy (Entre Ríos) | ~1,400 km | Barge + long-haul |
Tecpetrol and its service companies follow API 19C (properties of proppants) and ISO 13503-2 (measurement of proppant properties). In-Basin Sand's cuts are tested under both standards, with an SGS Minerals (Chile) report on file for attrition and granulometry.
The basin currently relies heavily on Entre Ríos fluvial sand. Concentration risk is real — weather, barge availability and highway maintenance all affect delivery timelines. A regional Malargüe source is a complementary origin that de-risks the sand supply chain for gas-critical programs like Fortín de Piedra.
In-Basin Sand supports take-or-pay, spot and diesel-indexed pricing. Mine-life documentation and SGS reports are shared under NDA.
In-Basin Sand is running a €150,000 secured convertible bridge closing 29 April 2026. Public landing: https://inbasinsand.com