Filings show that billionaire Peter Thiel has bought a 1% stake in the Argentine Vaca Muerta Oil firm.

According to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Peter Thiel, Palantir's chair and cofounder, has 'purchased' a 1% share in Argentina's Vista. Vista is 'one of the biggest oil companies' operating 'in Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale formation.

The filing was published on Friday four months after Milei, the Argentine president, met with the tech billionaire at the presidential palace. Milei then told a 'local media outlet that they had discussed economic policies, and Milei expressed his opposition to wealth tax.

Local media reported that Thiel had recently purchased a mansion located in Buenos Aires' upscale district.

According to the SEC filings, Thiel Macro LLC, a hedge fund owned by billionaire Thiel, bought around 1.2 Million American 'Depositary shares' in Vista, worth approximately $76 million. This is equivalent to 1% of Vista capital.

The fund reported a portfolio worth $418.7 millions, which included stakes in Vistra and Amazon, as well as power and energy companies American Electric Power and DTE Energy.

Vista operates in Vaca Muerta in Neuquen Province in Argentina's Patagonia Region, which is home to?the second largest shale oil and gas reserves in the world.

Vista produces 160,000 barrels equivalent to oil per day. It has invested more than $6 billion in Argentina. In May, Vista raised its production and investment outlook?for Vaca Murta, a formation about the size of Belgium.

Milei has stated his intention to use Patagonia's vast open space and?cold climate for data?centers. Other parts of Latin America have faced opposition to data center projects due to the high energy and water requirements. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed; Sarah Morland and Lucila Sigal)

(source: Reuters)