Norte de Santander is a crude producing department but it has no refineries. It is closer to Venezuelan refineries than Colombian ones and there is a large problem with contraband because Venezuelan gasoline is subsidized and Colombian is not. Thus service stations in the northeast have developed legally sanctioned supply chains into the neighbor country. Because of the turmoil in its neighbor, the Colombian government has stepped in to assure supply. From a MinMinas press release, translated and with commentary by Hydrocarbons Colombia.