In brief
On Nov. 5, 2026, Colombia announced its intent to restore the Antonio Ricaurte gas pipeline that has been dormant since 2015, marking the project as a national strategic priority. The effort will require extensive repairs and a U.S. sanctions‑clearing license, while the pipeline could cut the country’s reliance on expensive LNG imports and lower energy costs.
Colombia declared the restoration of the Antonio Ricaurte natural gas pipeline a strategic national priority on Nov. 5, 2026, as it battles domestic shortages, reports United Press International.
The state‑owned energy company Ecopetrol said the designation aims to fast‑track repairs on the 140‑mile line that has been inactive since 2015 and will allow the country to import gas from Venezuela’s state‑owned oil company PDVSA.
The project will need extensive technical repairs and a special U.S. authorization because of sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry. When operational, the pipeline could reduce Colombia’s reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports and lower energy costs for businesses and households, according to Ecopetrol.
The pipeline was inaugurated in 2007 by then‑Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and was designed to carry 450 million cubic feet of gas per day—about half of Colombia’s domestic demand. The first phase will import 50 million cubic feet per day, roughly 5 % of national consumption, the company said.
Colombia’s proven gas reserves fell 46 % between 2021 and 2025, and imports now account for nearly 40 % of national consumption, Portafolio reported. The move to revive the line comes after the government added it to the Projects of National and Strategic Interest (PINES) list, giving the project institutional priority and improved administrative support, UPI noted.
By replacing part of the LNG imports with direct pipeline delivery, the government hopes to eliminate maritime transportation costs and provide more competitive energy prices for households and businesses, the Ecopetrol statement added.
