Colombia’s planned gas glut: more than double projected demand

Colombia is planning an LNG import capacity of 2,500 MMcf/d by 2030, which is more than double the projected demand of 1,000 MMcf/d. This buildout, including projects like the SPEC terminal expansion and the Puerto Bahía and Coveñas terminals, risks creating stranded assets and undermining a national roadmap to reduce fossil fuel dependence by 90% by 2050. Industrial gas use has already fallen by 28% in early 2026 as users switch to cheaper alternatives like LPG and coal.

• Colombia's planned LNG import capacity is projected to significantly exceed its future gas demand. By 2030, planned projects and expansions could enable imports of around 2,500 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d), while the Unidad de Planeación Minero Energética (UPME) estimates total gas demand will be approximately 1,000 MMcf/d.
• The proposed LNG buildout may conflict with Colombia's energy transition and climate goals. A roadmap from the First International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels indicates that Colombia could achieve a 90% reduction in emissions and fossil fuel dependence by 2050 through energy efficiency, renewable generation with storage, and electrification.
• Industrial gas consumption in Colombia decreased by 28% during the first four months of 2026. This decline is attributed to domestic production drops, high LNG prices, and volatile global markets, leading users to switch to alternatives: 50% shifted to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and 20% to coal, with others using fuel oil or sugar cane bagasse.
• Current and planned infrastructure projects could nearly meet total 2030 demand on their own. The SPEC LNG terminal in Cartagena currently provides 425 MMcf/d and will add 58 MMcf/d by 2027; combined with either the Puerto Bahía LNG terminal or the Coveñas FSRU (each planning 400 MMcf/d by 2029/2030), the capacity would almost satisfy the projected total demand.

APA

Llano, A. (n.d.). Colombia’s planned gas glut: more than double projected demand. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/colombias-planned-gas-glut-more-double-projected-demand

Chicago

Llano, Amalia. Colombia’s planned gas glut: more than double projected demand. Global Energy Monitor, n.d. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/colombias-planned-gas-glut-more-double-projected-demand.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Llano |first1=Amalia |title=Colombia’s planned gas glut: more than double projected demand |publisher=Global Energy Monitor |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/colombias-planned-gas-glut-more-double-projected-demand |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{llanondcolombias, author = {Llano, Amalia}, title = {{Colombia’s planned gas glut: more than double projected demand}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/colombias-planned-gas-glut-more-double-projected-demand}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }