At the 2nd Offshore Caribbean Forum: Energy and Progress, Ecopetrol’s General Manager for Offshore and Exploration, Elsa Jaimes, outlined the regulatory, technical, and institutional challenges Colombia must address to advance natural gas exploration and production in the Caribbean Sea.
The Colombian Ministry of Finance (MinHacienda) proposed tax reforms that would significantly increase the fiscal load on the hydrocarbons and mining-energy sectors, aligning with the government’s push for renewable energy transition.
Mónica de Greiff, chair of Ecopetrol’s (NYSE: EC) Board of Directors, ruled out the possibility of Colombia importing natural gas directly from Venezuela, citing U.S. sanctions.
Colombia’s exports fell again in July 2025, dragged down by weaker coal and oil sales, according to figures released by the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) and the tax authority DIAN.
The Colombian government ruled out launching new rounds of offshore gas exploration, despite the region’s strategic importance for energy security.
There is a lot happening in the industry and whenever members get together there is lots to discuss. What do they talk about?
Colombia is struggling to attract foreign investment, weighed down by high logistics costs, slow regulatory processes, and outdated infrastructure that limit competitiveness in global markets.
The administration of President Gustavo Petro, through the Ministries of Mines and Energy (MinEnergia) and Finance (MinHacienda), is preparing a new five-page resolution that seeks to modify the pricing methodology for ethanol, a fuel additive commonly used to boost gasoline octane levels and reduce emissions.
The Unión Sindical Obrera (USO), one of Colombia’s most powerful oil workers’ unions, is facing mounting internal tensions after its president, César Loza, openly suggested that Colombia should resume fracking to safeguard energy self-sufficiency.
The future of Colombia’s hydrocarbon sector hinges on addressing falling reserves and accelerating the development of both conventional and unconventional resources, according to Óscar Ferney Rincón, Director of the Colombian Association of Petroleum Engineers (Acipet).
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