The ghost of the blackout in Colombia is leading authorities to make a sort of inventory of the thermoelectric plants and regasification projects that are underway to be able to supply the contingency measures required by the country.
Two of the regasification projects that have been inquired about are linked to Ecopetrol. One is located in Buenaventura: the Pacific Regasification Plant, managed by the company PIO S.A.S.; and the other is on the Caribbean Coast, called Puerto Bahía, managed by Frontera Energy.
Regarding the latter, the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO received information indicating that a change of the so-called Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU or ship) required no later than February 28, 2027, is being reviewed.
‘Alternatives are being analyzed’
To establish the status of the Floating Unit that was initially going to be used, EL TIEMPO contacted Orlando Cabrales, CEO of Frontera Energy, who began by assuring that they are within the time windows to start operations on the established dates and that the various milestones set in the project schedule have been met.
Regarding the ship initially made available for the project, he replied: “Frontera Energy signed an international leasing contract in May 2026 for a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) with Excelerate Energy, the company with the largest fleet of vessels of this type in the world. The first FSRU option is finishing a contract in the United Arab Emirates. While we are within the time window for this ship to leave that country, we are analyzing different alternatives with Excelerate Energy with FSRUs that are outside the Strait of Hormuz.”
When pressed on whether this contingency could impact service at Puerto Bahía, he reiterated that they are within the time window to start operations on the agreed date.
When this newspaper specifically asked if the geopolitical problems in the Strait of Hormuz are somehow related to the fact that other Floating Unit alternatives are being analyzed, he responded: “The current geopolitical situation forces both companies to analyze different alternatives. Excelerate Energy is the company with the largest fleet of vessels of this type in the world.”
And he added: “As we said before, we are within the time window to start operations on the established date“.
What about Pio?
In the case of Pio SAS and the Pacific Regasification Plant, two things are being reviewed: the procedure by which the project was approved and an extension that was granted to them.
Meanwhile, it is expected that in the coming days the Ecopetrol senior commercial management committee will announce whether gas purchases will be awarded or if the decision will be left in the hands of the new board of directors.
(Check here all the articles from the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO)
Informed sources assured that the first gas dispatch to Buenaventura should be made on November 1.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltimpo.com
@UinvestigativaET
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