New Colombian government's outlook on oil and gas
Colombia at a crossroads
The new government is seen as unfriendly to oil and gas but will have to be pragmatic in the face of energy challenges
The new Colombian government—led by the ironically named President Petro—is a keen supporter of the energy transition and has proposed tax reforms that threaten to stymie investment in upstream oil and gas. But the country remains heavily dependent on the oil sector for revenue and is facing a gas supply crisis, so there may be more continuity than change, at least in the short term. “The policy of this government is the energy transition,” says Camilo Andres Rincon, director of hydrocarbons at the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia. Describing Bogota’s transition plans as “aggressive”, Rincon also emphasises that hydrocarbons still have a very significant role in the country’s economy
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
