News and AnalysIs for

After a considerable amount of debate on how to set natural prices and allow the different parts of the supply chain to agree to rates, the Energy and Gas Regulation Commission (CREG) has opted for direct negotiation.

The National Infrastructure Agency (ANI) signed a port concession that will kick off the construction of Colombia’s first regasification plant, addressing a potential deficit of natural gas supply starting in 2016.

Bolsa Mercantil de Colombia (BMC) has presented the very first report of the Natural Gas Market Manager after it began operations six months ago which confirmed that supply is falling while demand rises, pushing prices up.

Political pressure on the regulatory framework to set natural gas prices continues to build uncertainty around the future prospects for the industry, as well as natural gas production and distribution.

Monday, July 20th, 2015 was not only the first day of the Farc’s unilateral truce but the last day of Senator David Name’s reign as president of the Colombian Congress. We can hope that the CREG can now get on with setting natural gas prices based on reason and not politics.

We have frequently noted the disconnect between the official statistics on gas demand (as shown in the chart) and the qualitative evidence of increased domestic gas coverage and vehicle conversions.

The expansion of the Sincelejo to Cartagena gas pipeline being planned by distributor Promigas has received its environmental license, allowing it to grow its capacity from 60mmcfpd to 165mmcfpd

Nothing seems to be 100% sure in the natural gas industry. Will a recent call for comments from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) on a planned resolution regarding planning for future gas consumption trends help clear things up?

The Energy and Gas Regulation Commission (CREG) has approved a change that allows Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) to fix propane cylinder prices based on the internal price of natural gas, a move which the propane distribution association Gasnova says will hurt Colombia’s poorest.

The contraband market for producing and distributing propane is costing the formal industry millions a year and exposing consumers to undue risk, warned Evamaría Uribe, the president of the propane distribution association Gasnova.