The National Energy Secretariat signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of Chinese companies formed by Powerchina and Shanghai Electric Power Construction to study the feasibility of the construction and financing of the Transport.Ar National Production Gas Pipeline System that will reach Vaca Muerta. The document set in motion a process of elaboration of the executive project, cost analysis and general evaluation of the initiative, which may lead to a commercial contract and financing by Chinese banks. The Secretary of Energy, Darío Martínez, pointed out that this project "will make it possible to replace the current LNG imports, the declining production of Bolivian gas and the import of liquid fuels currently used by thermal power plants, saving the country u$s 1,150 million per year in foreign currency". In addition, the project will allow gas producing regions "to increase and place the production of Argentine gas", which today is limited by the transportation capacity of the current gas pipeline trunk system. The objective is to reach Brazil with Argentine gas, with a 2,400 kilometers long gas pipeline linking Vaca Muerta with Porto Alegre. The investment will be around u$s 3,700 million for Argentina and another u$s 1,200 million for Brazil.