Ecopetrol, Pacific Rubiales see increased production in Colombia

Nov. 29, 2010
Colombia's Ecopetrol and partner Pacific Rubiales Energy announced the launch of new central processing facilities in their jointly owned Rubiales and Quifa heavy oil fields that will boost production by a total of 100,000 b/d.

Eric Watkins
Oil Diplomacy Editor

Colombia's Ecopetrol and partner Pacific Rubiales Energy announced the launch of new central processing facilities in their jointly owned Rubiales and Quifa heavy oil fields that will boost production by a total of 100,000 b/d.

The firms said the start-up of operations at the Rubiales CPF2 facility, which cost $319 million, is expected to result in an 70% increase in crude production to 170,000 b/d from the current 100,000 b/d by yearend. They said the opening of the new CPF plant at Quifa, which cost $180 million, will allow for the processing of 30,000 b/d.

The increased crude production by Rubiales and Quifa will be transported through the Los Llanos oil pipeline (ODL), which went into operation in 2009 and will raise its throughput to 340,000 b/d from 160,000 b/d by May 2011.

Rubiales field, which lies in the eastern part of Meta province, currently has 105 active wells. A company spokesperson told OGJ that plans for 2010 call for a total of 150 wells to be operating by yearend, which will help boost heavy crude production levels.

In the Rubiales field, Ecopetrol holds a 57% stake, while operator Meta Petroleum has 43%. In the Quifa field, Meta Petroleum, operator, holds a 60% stake, while Ecopetrol holds 40%.

Ecopetrol said earlier this month it is joining with six other firms—including Pacific Rubiales—to build and operate a 450,000 b/d oil line that will extend from Araguaney, in the Casanare Department of central Colombia, to the Covenas Export Terminal on the Caribbean Sea (OGJ Online, Nov. 15, 2010).

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