Ricardo is a Senior Executive geologist with more than 15 years of experience in petroleum Exploration and Production (E&P), Research and Development (R&D), and alternative energy investment. In 2006 he received the honor prize “Best Geological Thesis of the year at Buenos Aires University”.
He started his career in 2004 working in YPF as development geologist and two years later he joined Pluspetrol Resources Corp., the largest private E&P in Latin America’s. From 2007 to 2012 Ricardo integrated the Northern South America Regional Studies Team, which was the operator of numerous blocks in Perú, Colombia and Venezuela whose partners were KNOC (National Korean Co.) and CNPC (National Chinese Co.).
In 2012 he received a promotion to the New Ventures Team and he was responsible for identifying and maturing prospects, including geology, geophysics, petrophysics, and new business. Ricardo studied exploration opportunities across all Sub-Saharan Africa Basins, Alaska, Myanmar, Australia and along all Latin America countries both onshore and offshore basins.
Currently he is the Exploration Manager for Litica Resources, the mining division of Pluspetrol Resources Corp. He is in charge for all geological and subsurface operations, including wells and geophysical surveys. Exploration asset maturation (identification, drilling, discovery, appraisal); Portfolio analysis; New Venture Lithium evaluation; Lithium Prospect generation, evaluation, and review; Technical audit; Geoscience skill pool management; Strategic vision for global exploration program; Staff development.
Ricardo is responsible for setting and achieving aligned divisional goals, in cooperation with Managers of Development, Drilling, HSE, Governmental Affairs, Procurement, Finance, and HR departments. He is the primary focal point for exploration communications with governmental agencies, including work program, budget, and AFE approvals, and responsible for establishing corporate guidelines for technical assurance in mining lithium and REE exploration.
During the current trend towards net zero energy transition his team identify, evaluate, recommend, and deliver new business opportunities, including international new play and prospect generation related with battery metal strategy.
Currently, he manages and led lithium portfolio of exploration opportunities, including operation in 8 salt flats, more than 330.000 hectares. Ricardo led successful execution of current major capital project on Battery Metal Raw Material Exploration in Argentinian Puna. Development new methodologies and exploration workflows for salt flat geological models, increasing asset values and decreasing the risk. Ricardo petroleum global knowledge spread across the full upstream spectrum and he contends the lithium brine industry has more similarities to the oil & gas industry than to traditional mining. Litica flag ship project “Pozuelos” has increase their resources three times since Litica applied his cutting-edge workflow.