  In this paper a new formalism based on exterior differential systems is
derived for perfect-fluid spacetimes endowed with an abelian orthogonally
transitive G2 group of motions acting on spacelike surfaces. This formulation
allows simplifications of Einstein equations and it can be applied for
different purposes. As an example a singularity-free metric is rederived in
this framework. A sufficient condition for a diagonal metric to be geodesically
complete is also provided.
