Comitted: head of Colombia's hydrocarbons agency Armando Zamora
Colombia will stick to Venezuela gas deal
Colombia will stand by its part of the deal to provide gas to Venezuela through a joint pipeline that was opened in January this year, senior energy official Armando Zamora said.
“I can tell you from our side, Chevron and Ecopetrol, our fulfillment of the contract is independent of the state of political relations,” Zamora, who heads Colombia's hydrocarbons agency ANH, told UpstreamOnline.
“We have a commitment to send 150 million cubic feet per day on average for four years to 2012.”
Zamora was responding to reports in local media over concerns on whether fulfillment of the contract, which is due to see Venezuela reverse the gas flow from 2012, will depend on politics and the relationship between the two states.
Flow through the pipeline line, belonging to PDVSA, began in January this year.
Colombia currently sends the 150 MMcfd to Venezuela at a reduced “internally regulated fee” said Zamora.
“They (Venezuela) have the obligation to send us an equivalent amount of gas for the same regulated price for 12 years.”