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Gas taps still on despite FARC crisis



By Upstream staff 

The Antonio Ricaurte pipeline, which pumps gas from Colombia to Venezuela, is still in operation, despite the escalating political crisis between the two countries, which has seen Venezuelan troops mobilised to the border as Caracas severed diplomatic ties with its neighbour.

An industry official with direct knowledge of the pipeline told BNamericas last night that the pipeline was still operational.

"The pipeline is continuing to operate normally and exports are currently in excess of (the agreed contractual volumes)," the official told BNamericas.

Colombia had been sending Venezuela between 80,000 and 90,000 cubic feet of gas per day through the 224 kilometre pipeline, Colombia's Energy Minister Hernan Martinez said last month.

The pipeline runs from Campo Ballena, in Colombia, to Zulia state in Venezuela and is the first natural gas connection between the two countries.

Colombia began natural gas exports to Venezuela in January.

The Guajira Association, made of up of Colombia's state oil company Ecopetrol and US supermajor Chevron has invested $7.5 million in the project.

Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA invested close to $335 million in the pipeline.

PDVSA agreed to buy an initial 50,000 cubic feet per day with the amount rising to 150,000 cubic feet per day in 2009 and 2010.

Dropping to 100,000 cubic feet per day in 2011, the flow of the pipeline is due to reverse in 2012, BNamericas said.

Venezuela agreed to supply Colombia with 137,000 cubic feet per day beginning in 2012, with the contract running through 2027.

Venezuela closed its embassy in Bogota and sent troops to its border with Colombia after the Colombian government announced it had killed Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel leader Raul Reyes during an army raid into Ecuador.


Tuesday, 04 March, 2008, 10:41 GMT  | last updated: Tuesday, 04 March, 2008, 10:41 GMT

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