Technical and Safety Regulation for Hydrogen and Ammonia in Argentina
This report provides a roadmap to strengthen safety, reduce regulatory uncertainty, and enable market access for green hydrogen and ammonia projects. It is based on an assessment of the current framework, identifies gaps, and consolidates and organises international technical standards and guidance to inform the development of specific rules.
The study is structured as follows:
- Regulatory framework in Argentina: survey and analysis of applicable national regulation and, at the provincial level, two reference cases (Chubut and Buenos Aires). As expected, the regulation is not specific to hydrogen and ammonia production technologies; it belongs to the general framework for the chemical and fuels industry.
- International references: mapping and identification of international standards that can serve as the technical and safety basis for the design, construction, and operation of facilities.
- Comparative regulatory analysis: review of how other countries have advanced specific technical regulation for hydrogen and derivatives, and lessons from analogous sectors in Argentina (oil and gas and LNG sector).
- Regulatory plan including timeline: concrete short-, medium-, and long-term proposals for safety in production, storage, and transport (including pipelines), along with key regulatory adjustments.
The study is particularly relevant because currently there is no specific regulation for green hydrogen or green ammonia in Argentina; a general framework applies, which is insufficient given the chemical hazards and the future scale of the projects. The report recommends moving toward specific technical regulations that provide legal and operational certainty.
The study serves as a basis to design and prioritise regulation with comparative references and examples, targeted towards the public sector. For the private sector, the report serves as a practical handbook that summarises Argentina’s current requirements for hydrogen and ammonia facilities and maps the international safety and engineering standards. This can help developers to identify obligations, establish a compliant design basis, and minimise rework and regulatory uncertainty through FEED, procurement, and construction.
