Petrobras and Colombia’s Ecopetrol Hit Gas Off Caribbean Coast

Colombia Offshore Energy

The Sandia-1 gas discovery adds another confirmed accumulation to Colombia’s most promising offshore gas province, strengthening the case for a multi-billion-dollar development that could reshape the country’s energy future.

What Petrobras and Ecopetrol Found at Sandia-1

Petrobras and Ecopetrol announced on 3 August 2026 that the Sandia-1 exploratory well had identified a natural gas accumulation in Colombia’s deep Caribbean waters. The well was drilled in Block GUA-OFF-0, the same block that already hosts the massive Sirius discovery and the nearby Copoazú find.

Drilling began on 12 June 2026 and reached its final total depth on 29 July. Petrobras said the well found gas-bearing rock layers, now being studied with downhole sensors, though a full picture of how much gas is there still depends on laboratory tests in the coming months.

No official volume estimate has been released yet. The companies described the find as confirming a potential exploration play in the region, given Sandia-1’s proximity to Sirius-1 and Sirius-2, just 18 km away, and Copoazú-1, only 9 km distant.

Where the Sandia-1 Gas Discovery Sits in Colombia’s Offshore Map

Sandia-1 lies roughly 42 km from the Colombian coast, in water depths reported at around 1,251 metres. The well is part of Block GUA-OFF-0, a Caribbean offshore concession operated by Petrobras International Braspetro B.V. – Colombia Branch, a wholly-owned Petrobras subsidiary.

Ecopetrol holds a 55.56% stake in the block, while Petrobras holds the remaining 44.44% and serves as operator. This partnership structure mirrors the broader GUA-OFF-0 consortium that has already delivered Colombia’s largest-ever gas discovery at Sirius.

The well sits squarely inside what Petrobras sees as a promising new deepwater gas zone. With Sirius, Copoazú, and now Sandia all clustered within a 20 km radius, the block is shaping up as a single, interconnected gas province rather than a scattering of isolated finds.

The Sirius Giant and Why the Sandia-1 Gas Discovery Matters

The Sirius discovery, confirmed in December 2024, holds more than 6 trillion cubic feet of gas in place. That single find roughly doubles Colombia’s proven gas reserves and underpins a planned US$4.1 billion development project, with roughly US$1.2 billion earmarked for exploration and US$2.9 billion for production infrastructure.

Petrobras expects Sirius to produce around 13 million cubic metres per day, or roughly 460 million cubic feet per day, for about a decade. The project includes Colombia’s first long-distance undersea pipeline, running from the deepwater wells back to shore and into the national grid.

Sandia-1 strengthens the commercial logic of clustering satellite fields around this hub. Shared subsea infrastructure and economies of scale make the overall development more attractive to investors and lenders, especially when multiple confirmed gas accumulations can be tied back to a single production system.

Colombia’s Growing Gas Crunch and the Race for New Supply

Colombia’s domestic gas production has fallen to historic lows. Between 2015 and 2023, imported gas accounted for roughly 3% of total supply, but by March 2026 that share had jumped to 22.4%, and projections point to nearly 39% by the end of 2026 and 58% by 2027.

Ecopetrol has raised its deficit projections to 120 billion BTU per day in 2025 and 300 billion BTU per day in 2026. Industry group Naturgas estimates that Colombia needs to secure around 350 billion BTU per day in 2026 alone, equivalent to roughly 30% of forecast demand, to keep homes heated and power plants running.

This structural shortfall is driving up gas and electricity prices and forcing accelerated LNG imports through the SPEC regasification terminal in Cartagena. Analysts at Corficolombiana project the supply gap could reach 20% of demand in 2026, rising to 41% by 2028 and 57% by 2030 without major new domestic production.

What the Sandia-1 Gas Discovery Means for Investors and Expats

For investors, the Sandia-1 find reinforces how much gas is concentrated in Block GUA-OFF-0 and supports the case for a final go-ahead on Sirius. Petrobras Colombia’s president has indicated that this final decision is targeted by the end of 2027, with first gas expected between 2030 and 2031.

Colombia’s hydrocarbons regulator has separately told Reuters that licences for the Petrobras-Ecopetrol offshore gas project should be ready by mid-2026. That regulatory progress is a positive signal for the project’s ability to attract financing, though court-ordered halts on other offshore blocks over indigenous-rights concerns highlight the non-technical risks that investors must price in.

For expats and businesses in Colombia, the long-term picture is encouraging even if the near-term remains tight. Sirius alone could eliminate Colombia’s import dependence for domestic consumption over decades, but first gas will not arrive until the end of this decade, meaning higher energy bills and LNG reliance will persist through at least 2029.

Petrobras’s Regional Gas Strategy and the Brazil Connection

Petrobras’s Colombian portfolio now spans Sirius, Copoazú, Sandia, and the Uchuva discovery in the neighbouring Tayrona block. The company frames these assets as part of a broader strategy to support regional energy security through gas, complementing its own pre-salt production and domestic gas-to-power agenda in Brazil.

Gas-focused offshore developments also align with Petrobras’s shift toward lower-carbon hydrocarbons, potentially improving its risk profile under energy-transition scrutiny. However, cross-border political, regulatory, and social-licence risks in Colombia add execution complexity compared with purely Brazilian projects.

The long lead-time means cash-flow contributions from Colombia are medium- to long-term rather than near-term. Still, the concentration of multiple discoveries within a single operated block enhances portfolio value and offers genuine synergies in subsea infrastructure and gas marketing across the region.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much natural gas was found at the Sandia-1 well?

Petrobras and Ecopetrol have not yet released a volume estimate for the Sandia-1 gas discovery. The companies confirmed a natural gas accumulation and are conducting detailed evaluations using downhole sensors, but final characterisation of the gas intervals awaits laboratory analysis in the coming months.

When will gas from Colombia’s offshore Caribbean fields start flowing?

Petrobras Colombia’s president has indicated that the final investment decision for the flagship Sirius project is targeted by the end of 2027, with first gas expected between 2030 and 2031. Regulatory licences could be ready by mid-2026, but court challenges and social-licence requirements on other blocks show that timelines can shift.

Why does the Sandia-1 discovery matter for Colombia’s energy security?

Colombia is facing a growing gas deficit, with imports already supplying over 22% of national demand and projected to reach 58% by 2027. The Sandia-1 gas discovery, together with Sirius and Copoazú, strengthens the resource base of a single offshore block that could eventually eliminate Colombia’s import dependence for domestic gas consumption, though first production remains years away.

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