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Natural gas and liquid fuels in Colombia: supply priority in shortages, gas imports and exports, regasification access, international pipelines, and refining and fuel import authorizations

Last verified: 2026-10-27 · Status: Changing

Natural gas in Colombia runs under a wholesale market regulated by the CREG on rules in Decreto 1073 de 2015, which since December 2024 also cover importers and regasification terminals, reflecting the turn to imported LNG as domestic supply tightens. In a supply crisis gas goes first to essential demand (homes and small shops on the grid, vehicle gas, pipeline compression and refineries), then to firm contracts, then to firm exports; export and import prices are free, exporters may build cross border pipelines, and regasification owners must open spare capacity. Refining and importing liquid fuels for the domestic market each need prior authorization from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, with corporate, technical and contract documentation.

The rule

1. When insurmountable gas supply restrictions or serious non transitory emergencies arise in supply, transport or regasification infrastructure, producers, importers, marketers and transporters must serve demand in this order: first essential demand, then non essential demand with firm (uninterruptible) contracts, allocated by contract terms and, in a tie, to the user with the highest rationing cost, and third firm export commitments, which are compensated for the opportunity cost of interrupted export gas under a CREG methodology. A user allocated gas from a supplier with whom it has no firm contract may not nominate more than it needs or resell surpluses. A declared shortage does not excuse a producer, transporter or marketer from its own contracts unless force majeure or another exempting event applies. Gas imported to back firm energy obligations of thermal plants is generally excluded.Decreto 1073 de 2015, art. 2.2.2.2.1 as amended by Decreto 1467 de 2024 art. 3, Art. 2.2.2.2.1 and par. 1 to 4, 2024-12-10 official text · verified 2026-10-27 · changed: Decreto 1467 de 10 December 2024 (Diario Oficial 52.966, same day) rewrote art. 2.2.2.2.1 to bring importers and regasification infrastructure into the priority rules, as part of measures to enable offshore gas and gas imports.
2. Essential demand is the gas demand of residential and small commercial users on distribution networks, compressed natural gas for vehicles (GNCV), compression stations of the national transport system (SNT) and refineries. Agents serving essential demand must contract supply and transport with agents that have physical backing; if they lack firm contracts in a shortage they bear the costs caused to other agents, besides sanctions.Decreto 1073 de 2015, Art. 2.2.2.1.4 (definition) and art. 2.2.2.2.16, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27
3. Gas exports, gas imports for uses other than the residential public service, and gas in transit are not activities complementary to the public gas service, and the regulated marketing mechanisms do not apply to them; imported gas sold to the public service follows the CREG rules for domestic gas. Export and import prices are freely agreed, but use of national transport system pipelines is paid at CREG approved charges. Exporters and importers may build, operate and maintain international gas interconnections and dispose of their capacity.Decreto 1073 de 2015 (compiling Decreto 2100 de 2011), Art. 2.2.2.2.33, 2.2.2.2.34 and 2.2.2.2.35, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27
4. Exporters may freely take on gas export commitments, but the Ministry of Mines and Energy limits the free disposal of gas for export when domestic supply may be compromised, under a methodology it sets by resolution considering production, demand, exports and imports; while the limitation lasts, producers and exporters may not sign new export contracts or increase contracted export volumes.Decreto 1073 de 2015, art. 2.2.2.2.37 par. 1 as amended by Decreto 2345 de 2015 art. 6, Art. 2.2.2.2.37 and par. 1 and 2, 2015-12-03 official text · verified 2026-10-27
5. Owners and operators of regasification infrastructure must give access to unused or uncommitted capacity to agents that need it, if capacity is available and existing contracts are not put at risk; access is exercised only by contract with the owner or operator, and if the parties cannot agree the Ministry of Mines and Energy decides, with an optional CREG opinion. The CREG may also create mechanisms to encourage gas imports.Decreto 1073 de 2015 (compiling Decreto 2100 de 2011 art. 29 and 30), Art. 2.2.2.2.40 and 2.2.2.2.41, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27
6. Refining hydrocarbons to produce liquid fuels in Colombia requires prior authorization from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, supported by the construction licence and environmental permits for the refinery, bylaws, financial statements and shareholding, a chamber of commerce certificate showing refining in the corporate purpose, and a technical report on location, capacity, product specifications, investment, crude source and output.Decreto 1073 de 2015, Art. 2.2.1.1.2.2.3.75, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27
7. Anyone wishing to import liquid fuels derived from oil for consumption or distribution in Colombia must first obtain authorization from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, filing bylaws, financial statements and shareholding, a chamber of commerce certificate (issued within three months) showing fuel import in the corporate purpose, details of origin, type, volume and transport of the fuel, the storage contract for receiving it, and the contract with the distribution chain agent that will distribute or consume it.Decreto 1073 de 2015, Art. 2.2.1.1.2.2.3.77, 2015-05-26 official text · verified 2026-10-27
PriorityDemand
1Essential demand: residential and small commercial users on distribution networks, vehicle CNG, SNT compression stations, refineries
2Non essential demand with firm uninterruptible contracts (tie broken by highest rationing cost)
3Firm export commitments, compensated for opportunity cost

Gas supply priority in a declared shortage (Decreto 1073 de 2015 art. 2.2.2.2.1, Decreto 1467 de 2024)

Step by step

  1. Classify your offtake: essential demand agents must hold firm supply and transport contracts with physically backed sellers.
  2. For industrial users, secure firm contracts; interruptible supply is the first to be cut after essential demand.
  3. For LNG import projects, negotiate regasification access by contract and escalate disputes to the Ministry of Mines and Energy if terms cannot be agreed.
  4. Before signing export deals, check whether a Ministry export limitation is in force, since it blocks new export contracts.
  5. For fuel import or refining, obtain the Ministry authorization before operating, with the storage and distribution contracts already in place.

Common traps

  • Holding gas from a supplier you have no firm contract with during a shortage does not let you resell surpluses.
  • A declared shortage is not a general force majeure: suppliers remain liable under their contracts unless an exempting event is proved.
  • Exports are third in line in a crisis and can be restricted by the Ministry when domestic supply is at risk; price that risk into export projects.
  • A fuel import authorization requires the corporate purpose to include fuel import and a recent chamber certificate; incorporating with a narrow purpose delays the filing.

Sources

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