LatAmOil: Argentina faces mass gas shortage as coldest winter since 1980 looms

Argentina is urgently seeking fuel supplies as winter intensifies in the southern hemisphere, with lower-than-expected temperatures driving up demand for home heating. This surge in demand is proving problematic for President Javier Milei’s administration, which aims to accumulate dollar reserves through trade surpluses to alleviate the currency controls suffocating the economy.

Manuel Adorni, Milei’s spokesman, reported that consumer demand for natural gas has skyrocketed by 55% in recent weeks, from 44mn to nearly 70mn cubic metres due to the harsh winter.

The government is highlighting what it says is a proactive approach to addressing the supply deficit.