Energy

A significant milestone was reached in 2012 when Colombia finally surpassed 1m barrels per day (bpd) in crude oil production. However, this achievement masks the fact that at 2012 production levels, the country will run out of oil reserves in less than six years, despite its new status as the third-largest producer of crude in South America....

The past decade has been something of a reawakening for the mining industry, as improved security and political support have resulted in increased investment and mineral production. A polymetallic country with robust resources of coal, gold, copper, nickel and emeralds, Colombia is also relatively unexplored. A 2012 Ministry of Mines and Energy (...

In Colombia, like its neighbours Brazil and Peru, the use of hydroelectric power as the primary source of electricity has been a crucial aspect in expanding supply capacities to meet rising demand over the past half century. Indeed, in 2012 Colombia derived 68% of its 14,420-MW supply capacity from its vast network of rivers and streams, according...

One of the more difficult challenges the mining sector faces is the incorporation of informal operations into the formal sector and the elimination of illegal operations. Differentiating between the two can be a challenge in itself. Illegal and informal mining activities are reckoned to account for 9044 mines out of a total of nearly 15,000,...

In recent years rising oil prices and global warming have driven the development of alternative fuel sources as nations look to secure their energy futures while reducing carbon footprints. While Colombia is a serial user of “clean”, renewable energy through its reliance on hydroelectricity, it is also a growing producer of biofuels such as ethanol...