GeoPark advances drilling and expansion at Vaca Muerta block

Published: 2026-04-30 09:50:11 ET GPRK

Published on 04/30/2026 at 09:50 am EDT

GeoPark has begun drilling lateral sections at its Loma Jarillosa Este block in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale formation during the first quarter of 2026, with initial wells reaching target depth and further development planned through the year, the company said.

The first two wells from a five-well pad reached their respective target depths on April 1 and April 15, marking an early milestone in the programme. The company is continuing drilling operations on the remaining three lateral sections at Pad-1030, which had been partially developed by a previous operator.

GeoPark holds a 100% working interest in the Loma Jarillosa Este block, where it is advancing both drilling and infrastructure activities to support production growth.

Alongside drilling, the company completed a second artificial lift installation campaign across three wells in the block, reducing total shut-in time by 10 days compared with the previous intervention.

Construction has also begun on the first phase of an expansion of the Loma Jarillosa Este gathering station, aimed at increasing capacity from 6,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) to 10,000 bopd.

Looking ahead, GeoPark plans to carry out hydraulic fracturing operations on the five-well pad during the second quarter of 2026, followed by a factory drilling phase expected to begin in the fourth quarter.