Baker Hughes has received an order from San Matias Pipeline to deliver three gas compression units for a new natural gas pipeline project in Argentina.

The equipment, including three NovaLT 16 gas turbines, each paired with a centrifugal compressor, will be installed at a station near Allen, Río Negro.

This site supports the transportation of natural gas from the Vaca Muerta resource to the Gulf of San Matias. The gas will feed into two floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels operated by Southern Energy.

The order also encompasses commissioning services, spare parts, specialist tools, and capabilities for remote monitoring and diagnostics. Baker Hughes stated that this will be the first time its NovaLT 16 gas turbines have been deployed in South America.

Baker Hughes industrial and energy technology chief growth and experience officer and interim executive vice-president Maria Claudia Borras said: “This award underscores our continued focus on supporting critical gas infrastructure that enables secure, reliable and lower-emission energy systems as we expand our presence in strategic growth markets across Latin America.

“Natural gas plays a strategic role in strengthening energy security and enabling scalable pathways to global LNG markets, particularly in regions with significant resource potential such as Argentina.”

The company claimed that the NovaLT platform was selected due to its performance, efficiency features, delivery timeline and suitability for midstream gas compression within the LNG value chain.

According to Baker Hughes, the NovaLT turbines achieve efficiency levels of more than 37% in simple-cycle applications and up to 85% when used in cogeneration configurations.

The manufacturer also cites operational advantages such as a 45-day installation period, a 35,000-hour interval between major maintenance and a 24-hour engine swap capability.

Baker Hughes notes that average greenhouse gas emissions from NovaLT 16 turbine production processes are 35% lower compared to certain previous turbo-machinery models.

These gas turbines are built to achieve nine parts per million nitrogen oxides at 15% O₂ across a wide operational range.

Prior to this, Tecnimont, part of the MAIRE group, and Baker Hughes signed a non-exclusive memorandum of understanding to assess joint participation in future modularised, scalable LNG projects globally.