SALLIQUELO, Argentina, July 9 (Reuters) - Argentina inaugurated on Sunday the first stage of a gas pipeline that will carry natural gas from the Vaca Muerta formation in western Argentina to Santa Fe province by way of Buenos Aires province, an essential work to reverse the country's significant energy deficit. It has the second unconventional gas reserves worldwide and the fourth in oil. The completion of the first stage of the gas pipeline, which starts in Neuquen province and reaches Buenos Aires province, adds 11 million cubic meters of gas per day. This will double when the compression plants are installed in Tratayen, in Neuquen province, and in Salliquelo, in Buenos Aires province. "We are no longer going to import gas in ships because we are going to use the gas from our subsoil."

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Persons: Vaca Muerta, Sergio Massa, " Massa, Agustin Gerez, Candelaria Grimberg, Eliana Raszewski, Anna, Catherine Brigida, Diane Craft Organizations: Energia Argentina, Thomson Locations: SALLIQUELO, Argentina, Vaca, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, Belgium, Patagonia, Neuquen province, Tratayen, Salliquelo, San Jeronimo