Regasificadora del Pacifico announced on September 8 that it will begin commercial operations on November 1 to deliver imported natural gas to state energy company Ecopetrol. The launch comes as its floating storage unit departs China for Colombia, adding an import route as declining domestic gas production forces the country to seek external supplies.
Supply contracts and transport
Under an agreement spanning 5 years, the Buenaventura facility will regasify 60 million cubic feet per day of natural gas for Ecopetrol. Alcanos also holds a contract tied to the terminal for the supply of 20 million cubic feet per day. The venture involves a logistics system featuring 72 cryogenic ISO containers moving between Buenaventura and Buga.
The voyage across the Pacific Ocean takes approximately 30 days. Ecopetrol contracted the volumes directly.
Pacific gateway infrastructure
Oscar Isaza Benjumea, president of the project, stated that the sailing of the Tura marks the point of no return for this project: the infrastructure that will give the Colombian Pacific its first gateway for natural gas is already in the water and sailing home.
Colombia currently operates only one regasification terminal, the Sociedad Portuaria El Cayao plant in Cartagena. The start of the Buenaventura facility provides a second regasification terminal in the country to help offset energy shortfalls.
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Source: Regasificadora del Pacifico
