{
  "id": 10125596,
  "title": "Colombia’s Gas Industry Warns Backup Is Thin After Terminal Fault",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/colombias-gas-industry-warns-backup-is-thin-after-terminal-fault",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-26T16:51:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Rio Times",
    "slug": "the-rio-times",
    "url": "https://www.riotimesonline.com/colombia-naturgas-gas-system-backup-warning-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Colombia once relied on its own gas fields, but now imports about a third of its needs. A single fault at the Cartagena import terminal has highlighted the thin backup available. The Naturgas association, representing Colombia's natural gas companies, warned on September 26 that the system lacks adequate backup. A fault at the SPEC LNG terminal in Cartagena forced the government to ration supply, as detailed by El Universal. Natural gas powers millions of Colombian homes and fuels key industries, and also supports the power grid when hydro output drops. With domestic production declining, imports fill the gap, with about 30 percent of gas consumed imported, almost all of it arriving at the Cartagena terminal. One of SPEC LNG's four processing trains experienced an unforeseen operational issue, reducing its capacity from 475 million cubic feet per day to 400 million, a 15.7 percent decrease. The company expects to restore full capacity within seven days. The mines ministry described the rationing as scheduled, with household gas not affected. Priority is given to essential demand, covering homes, hospitals, schools, and mass transit, followed by thermal power plants and other contracted users. The resolution restricts 15 gigaBTU per day of imported gas to essential demand, with a possible eight-day extension. NATURGAS, the industry body, says the episode underscores the need for more backup, calling the current system \"operating like a car without a spare tyre.\" Thermal plant operators argue the plants need the available 400 million cubic feet to generate power and avoid blackouts. Ecopetrol, the state-owned oil company, aims to increase domestic supply by 14 percent in 2026, but this does not replace imported gas. The government's resolution assigns no blame for the fault and focuses on technical measures. Colombia imports around 30 percent of its gas today and could see this share rise to 65 percent by 2035 without new domestic production.",
  "summary": "Colombia's gas association says the system has almost no spare capacity after a fault at the Cartagena import terminal forced rationing. The post Colombia’s Gas Industry Warns Backup Is Thin After Terminal Fault appeared first on The Rio Times .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}