The discussions took place amid Colombia’s efforts to diversify its gas imports while working towards transitioning to renewable energy.
Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad Al-Kaabi, and his Colombian counterpart, Edwin Palma Egea, discussed energy relations and cooperation between both countries in Doha on Sunday.
“Discussions during the meeting dealt with energy relations and cooperation between Qatar and Colombia and means to enhance them,” QatarEnergy said in a statement, without providing additional details on the meeting.
The discussions took place amid Colombia’s efforts to diversify its gas imports while working towards transitioning to renewable energy.
On March 10, Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro instructed his country’s largest energy company, Ecopetrol, to buy gas from Qatar in order to diversify imports in light of what he described as an “import monopoly” and rising consumer prices.
“I have decided that Ecopetrol will intervene in gas imports and purchase it from Qatar at reasonable prices. The gas import monopoly, which is prohibited by the Constitution, is coming to an end,” Petro said in a post on X at the time.
Colombia has mainly imported gas from the United States as well as Trinidad and Tobago at prices higher than domestic supplies, Bloomberg previously reported.
Adding Qatar as a source would boost competition and lower gas prices, which surged by 36 percent in recent weeks across different cities, including Bogota and Medellín.
The Gulf state has long been a reliable energy supplier, particularly as it ramps up its local liquified natural gas production with its multi-billion North Field expansion project.
The initial North Field East and the North Field South phase were set to increase LNG production from 77 mtpa (million tonnes per annum) to 126 mtpa by 2026.
Additionally, the North Field West project, which was unveiled in February 2024, will raise production to 142 mtpa by 2030, boosting output by 85 percent and strengthening Qatar’s economy.
