Ricardo Markous, a civil engineer who graduated from the University of Buenos Aires, is one of the leading figures within Argentina’s energy industry. He has belonged to the Techint Group for several years, specifically through Tecpetrol, the group’s oil and gas company, where he serves as CEO. The executive is one of the strongest voices emphasizing Argentina’s global potential through Vaca Muerta.
His career began in the 1980s within different companies of the Techint Group. Between the 1980s and the 1990s, Markous consolidated his position within the energy industry, gained greater knowledge abroad and returned to the company. In 1997, he joined Tecgas, a division of Techint, and later that company merged with Tecpetrol. From there, he participated in the design of the strategy that transformed the company into one of the most important players in natural gas production in Argentina, and his management coincided with the development of Vaca Muerta.
His career within the Techint Group
When he assumed growing responsibilities within Tecpetrol, he brought that experience to the hydrocarbon industry. His leadership is characterized by a strong focus on execution and the achievement of production targets. Along these lines, these elements are fundamental for the company’s future growth in Vaca Muerta.
Regarding Vaca Muerta, the engineer states that “Vaca Muerta is possible because there is national industry” and that “We must work together, operators and SMEs, so that Vaca Muerta is not only a record of production or foreign currency, but also leaves the country with an industrial network capable of facing the major projects that are coming.”
The engineer has been with Tecpetrol for more than 20 years, and during an interview he stated that when he “was thinking about retirement,” he received the proposal to become the company’s new chief executive officer. His career at Techint is defined by several relevant events, although Fortín de Piedra is one of the most important.
Fortín de Piedra and Tecpetrol
The project that defined Markous’s career was Fortín de Piedra. The field, located in the Neuquén Basin, became one of the most important shale gas developments in Latin America and Tecpetrol’s main asset. During Markous’s management, the company implemented one of the most ambitious investment programs in Argentina’s energy history. Fortín de Piedra went from being an early-stage project to becoming one of the largest gas producers in the country.
The growth was so rapid that it changed Argentina’s energy supply structure. Tecpetrol significantly increased its share of national production and became a central player in reducing gas imports. “We were able to do this thanks to the SMEs that worked on this project,” the CEO stated, making clear that in winter the project supplies the province of Neuquén and accounts for around 15% of the country.
The growth of this project also strengthened the engineer’s public profile, especially because his ability to coordinate multimillion-dollar investments, technical teams and large-scale operations consolidated his reputation within the industry.
The CEO who drove energy expansion
Under his leadership, the company not only strengthened its presence in Argentina, but also maintained operations in other Latin American countries. In relation to this, and specifically to the role of Vaca Muerta, the engineer stated at an international forum that “At the regional level, we are already exporting to Chile and must develop the necessary infrastructure to also export to Brazil,” adding that the country has an excellent opportunity to increase its production globally.
He also actively participates in debates on competitiveness, regulation and energy exports. From his perspective, Argentina has sufficient resources to become a relevant exporter of oil and gas, provided that stable conditions exist for long-term investments. Along these lines, the CEO stated that “Vaca Muerta is, fundamentally, a gas basin. As far as gas is concerned, the results are colossal.”
Within Argentina’s energy sector, the executive is one of the figures promoting renewal and betting on the growth and development of the oil and gas formation. The CEO of Tecpetrol is aware of the country’s strength through Vaca Muerta and has repeatedly sought to highlight that opportunity.
Within Argentina’s business ecosystem, Markous is considered one of the most influential executives in energy. His leadership at Tecpetrol made it possible to turn the company into one of the engines of national gas development and into a strategic piece for the growth of Argentina’s energy sector during the 21st century. And not only that, but under his leadership, Fortín de Piedra is considered a successful project and one that any country would envy.
