Organized by the Petroleum Trade Committee (Comité Gremial Petrolero – CGP), the summit is coordinated by CAMPETROL, the Colombian Petroleum and Gas Association (ACP), the Colombian Association of Oil and Gas Geologists and Geophysicists (ACGGP), and Colombian Association of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (ACIEM).

The event is expected to attract more than 3,500 participants and feature around 90 exhibitors, combining a business exhibition with academic and technical programs, as well as a dedicated business matchmaking forum.

Executives, policymakers, operators, suppliers, and technical specialists will examine topics including energy security, offshore development, hydrocarbons, natural gas, and the future of Colombia’s energy transition. The summit traditionally includes participation from senior industry leaders, including executives from Ecopetrol and CAMPETROL.

Dates: November 4–6, 2026
Venue:Convention Center in Cartagena de Indias

For more information and registration details, follow this link.

The report, prepared based on the preliminary planning and budgets of oil companies surveyed by ACP, shows the growing interest in natural gas by companies. For 2021, 45% of the total exploration budget will be focused on the search for gas, with a projected $400 million USD to develop gas production, representing 15% of the total investment in production.

“A rebound in investment in the sector is good news for the country, since not only the oil and gas industry guarantees the generation of fiscal resources that allow the nation and the regions to leverage public investment in strategic projects for economic and social reactivation, but also guarantees the self-sufficiency of the country, which will require energy for its industrial reactivation,” said the president of the ACP, Francisco José Lloreda Mera.

Exploratory investment will be concentrated in Colombia’s Caribbean region; while investment in production will go mainly to the Meta, Santander & Norte de Santander departments.

At the regional level, exploratory investment will be concentrated in the Caribbean region, primarily in Córdoba, and mostly on the mainland, where a significant part of the resources will focus on the search for natural gas. On the other hand, investment in production will be directed mainly to the department of Meta, which will continue to be the primary recipient of investment, followed by the Santander, Norte de Santander, Casanare, Antioquia, Putumayo and Huila departments.

“Natural gas is gaining strength in the energy matrix, so it is not surprising that its share has been growing in recent years. Colombia has geological potential, but for it to develop it is necessary to promote the growth of its demand, which implies measures that facilitate timely marketing, competitive transportation to consumption centers and promote competition under equal conditions. This will be key to promoting the growth of this energy in the country, the supply and the reliability that is required in an energy transition process,” explained Lloreda.

President of the ACP, Francisco José Lloreda Mera

Finally, the report highlights that 95% of the investments in 2021 will be carried out on land, while in offshore and unconventional fields (YNC) the investments will be aimed at developing studies and other activities prior to exploratory drilling, which is forecast for 2022.

Investment climate

The report also presented the results of the survey on the country’s investment climate, which assesses several fundamental aspects for the sector: prospectivity, competitiveness of goods and services, fiscal aspects, availability of infrastructure, contractual, environmental and social aspects, political stability, regulatory security, prior consultation and security in operations.

This year, the overall rating averaged 5, placing it in the acceptable range, registering a decrease compared to that granted in 2019 (6 / good). Of the 11 elements evaluated, only one totally favorable perception of the country remains, which continued to be Political Stability, which improved from 63% and 65% in 2018 and 2019, respectively, to 75% in 2020.

The perception of Prospectivity (The quality of being or having a likely location in which to prospect for minerals), which had always been a strength of the country, is now seen mostly as neutral or indifferent. In the remainder of the aspects evaluated, a perception classified between neutral and weak continues to prevail.
“The responses of the surveyed companies invite us to continue working, in conjunction with the Government, on the structural issues that need to be improved to regain interest in investing in Colombia. It is necessary to promote the growth of the natural gas market, reduce oil pipeline rates, have greater regulatory security, review contractual issues, optimize environmental licensing processes, among other aspects that are fundamental for the country to attract investment, develop its potential in oil and gas and generate the necessary resources to mark the economic and social reactivation,” concluded Lloreda.

Over 120 companies competed, and Ecopetrol was among nominees such as Codensa, Fluvia, Independence, y Pacific Exploration & Production. In 2012 Ecopetrol won in the Energy Resources category with their “strategy for control of hydrocarbon powering,” and in 2014 in the Social Responsibility category with its “Diaspora” program that used old oil pipelines to create artificial reefs.

The patented EcoDiDesh technology was developed at Ecopetrol’s Colombian Petroleum Institute, reduces costs in dehydrating crude oil, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, reduces the costs in transporting crude oil, and increases the capacity of treatment facilities (such as that pictured above) without requiring additional investment. The technology has saved Ecopetrol over $100 million USD annually.

“It’s a new concept that doesn’t have antecedents in the industry,” said Andrés Eduardo Mantilla, Ecopetrol’s vice president of innovation & technology. “The process combines the use of dilutions and gravity separation, reducing the amount of water present in the crude oil without using thermal, electrical, or mechanical treatments. This guarantees obtaining high quality dehydrated crudes that can be transported under technical specifications.”

Polipropileno del Caribe S.A. markets polypropylene, polyethelyne, and resins for the plastics industry under the trade name Esenttia, and has corporate offices in Bogotá and manufacturing facilities in Cartagena. This sale process will proceed in accordance with Colombia’s Law 226 of 1995, which requires Ecopetrol S.A. to apply for and obtain the approval of the national government of Colombia.

New offshore exploration and production company to take advantage of tax benefits

Meanwhile, Ecopetrol also reports that Hocol Petroleum Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of Ecopetrol S.A., has formed a new company, Ecopetrol Costa Afuera Colombia S.A.S., as approved by Hocol Petroleum Limited’s board of directors. The new company will be responsible for offshore exploration and production activities in Colombia, which are currently being carried out by Ecopetrol S.A. as operator and non-operator.

Ecopetrol Costa Afuera Colombia S.A.S. will benefit from the tax, tariff and other benefits of Decree 2682 of 2014, as recently modified by Decree 2129 of 2015, which establishes the conditions and requirements for forming permanent offshore free trade zones in colombia.

Ecopetrol Costa Afuera Colombia S.A.S. is an indirect subsidiary of Ecopetrol S.A. and located in Colombia.  It has an authorized capital of $2 billion COP and subscribed capital of $400 million COP.