‘We’ve begun oil spill response training’: Patagonia prepares for the largest crude oil export port in Argentina

The oil project will bring thousands of jobs, the companies say, but those living near the proposed export terminal are concerned about the potential effects. Illustration: Israel Vargas

The rocky crevices of the Valdés peninsula and the pristine waters of the San Matías Gulf, on the Atlantic coast of Argentinian Patagonia, are a remote sanctuary for marine life, where protected southern right whales breed, orcas hunt and thousands of penguins and sea lions flourish.

“It’s a treasure chest of wildlife – a breathtaking, untouched place,” says María Leoní Gaffet, a local wildlife expert and co-director of Península Valdés Orca Research. “It’s unique in the world.”