Sean Rooney, born in the United States, is a leading executive in the energy sector after serving as president of Shell Argentina. Shell is a major hydrocarbons company with a presence in several countries around the world. Although he no longer leads the company in Argentina, he stands out as an executive, consultant and analyst focused on energy and oil. During his tenure in the South American country, Rooney reinforced Vaca Muerta’s position as a key space within the sector.
During an interview with Forbes Argentina, Rooney acknowledged that he began working in the country in the 1990s, spent time in several northern provinces and later used his own capital to invest in small and medium-sized companies. In 2018, the American executive was selected as president of the oil company to lead and assume its responsibilities in Argentina.
During his management, the American executive became closely linked to Vaca Muerta, a basin located in the province of Neuquén that represents one of the country’s most important oil and gas formations. Since arriving in Argentina and entering the energy sector, Rooney never hesitated about Vaca Muerta’s potential and consistently supported greater infrastructure and development to attract new investors to the country.
Rooney is a geologist from Indiana University and earned a doctorate in Geophysics from the University of Wisconsin. Before joining Shell, he worked for more than a decade at Mobil and later at ExxonMobil, where he participated in exploration and business development projects in Latin America.
How Rooney arrived in Argentina
During his time at Mobil, he participated in projects involving the acquisition of exploratory areas in Latin America and took part in initiatives linked to exploration in Argentina and Bolivia. He also intervened in processes that led to relevant gas discoveries within the region. In the early 1990s, the American executive stated that he began working full time in Argentina.
He was president of Shell Venezuela between 2004 and 2008 and later served as regional vice president of exploration for the Middle East and Southeast Asia. He then officially returned to Argentina, where he assumed the presidency of Shell. From that position, he promoted the expansion of the company’s operations in the Sierras Blancas, Cruz de Lorena and Coirón Amargo Sur Oeste blocks, strongly betting on Neuquén shale oil and shale gas.
His most influential actions and the role in Vaca Muerta
Rooney’s management in Argentina became especially associated with Shell’s growth within Vaca Muerta. During his presidency, the company accelerated investments, increased well drilling and launched infrastructure aimed at multiplying unconventional oil production. The American executive consistently promoted actions to draw investor attention to the formation.
He also promoted projects linked to crude oil exports from the Neuquén Basin and defended the future development of Argentine liquefied natural gas. In 2020, when the pandemic affected the world, Rooney maintained Shell’s expansion strategy.
Rooney’s presidency at Shell Argentina lasted four years. Despite his departure, the investor remained linked to the country and decided to open a family investment fund to support Argentine SMEs. The initiative emerged from a vision Rooney had built during his years in Argentina.
The family investment fund he opened in Argentina
Velitec is a clear example of the family investment fund opened by Rooney. It is an Argentine SME in the energy sector that acquired mature assets that had been part of YPF, another major company in the Argentine market. His approach was not focused only on contributing capital. He also sought to transfer the experience accumulated over decades in the international energy industry. From the beginning, he aimed to support SMEs in processes of professionalization and investment planning.
The launch of this fund also reflected a significant personal decision. Unlike other international executives who leave the country after finishing their corporate roles, Rooney chose to continue developing projects in Argentina. His new business stage showed an evolution from his previous role.
“I was introduced to it and I thought it was a small, family-owned company that I could help with my experience. In this company, I am providing more advice than investment. We have already made three offers,” Rooney said about his current position. After leaving the presidency of Shell, he focused his work on investments and consulting.
“Vaca Muerta gas contains a large amount of ethane, and ethane can be used for petrochemicals, so it would be a shame not to use it for a major plant. There is also offshore, where I always thought there was great potential,” the American executive summarized.
Sean Rooney is American, but his heart is in Argentina. Since the early 1990s, he built a career in the South American country, first with Shell and later through Vaca Muerta.
