Latin America stands at a crossroads between oil, gas, and clean energy, but Colombia appears to be drifting from the regional consensus that seeks balance between economic survival and decarbonization.
Six new prior consultations have emerged as the main threat to Petrobras’ (NYSE: PBR) ambitious plan to begin natural gas production from the offshore Sirius field before 2030. The company warns that regulatory uncertainty could delay Colombia’s return to energy self-sufficiency.
Colombia could soon unveil significant announcements about offshore gas exploration in the Caribbean Sea, according to statements by Orlando Velandia, president of the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), during the XXII Colombian Oil, Gas, and Energy Congress organized by Acipet.
At the XXII Colombian Petroleum, Gas, and Energy Congress organized by Acipet, Orlando Velandia, President of the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), hinted that Colombia could soon receive major news on offshore exploration, particularly in the Caribbean Sea.
Colombia’s oil industry faces a grim outlook in 2025 as production declines, exploration investment hits record lows, and international oil prices remain weak.
The Colombian government ruled out launching new rounds of offshore gas exploration, despite the region’s strategic importance for energy security.
The president of Colombia’s oil workers’ union, Unión Sindical Obrera (USO), César Loza Arenas, called on Ecopetrol (NYSE: EC) to step up exploration of oil and gas in the country, warning that the state-owned company cannot wait until “the pot is scraped clean.”
Ecopetrol (NYSE: EC) confirmed that two of its key exploratory wells drilled in the first half of 2025 failed to deliver commercial hydrocarbon results.
The discovery of the Sirius offshore gas field in Colombia’s Caribbean waters has been hailed as a breakthrough for the country’s energy future. With an estimated output of 450mmcfd, about 45% of the national demand, the project promises to provide short-term relief amid growing concerns about domestic gas shortages.
At the closing session of the IV Sustainability Forum hosted by the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP), a political panel of presidential pre-candidates spotlighted the future of Colombia’s energy sector, with a unified message: the country must reactivate hydrocarbon exploration to ensure energy security and economic stability.
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