Drought fears prompt Colombia to reduce gas exports to Venezuela

[Bacchus4.0]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/28/colombia-gas-venezuela-idUSL2N0NK1S020140428



(Reuters) - Colombia will reduce gas exports to Venezuela to ensure it has enough fuel to run its power plants, the energy minister said on Monday, with the threat that dry weather from an imminent El Nino weather anomaly could cut hydroelectric generation.

Colombia currently exports around 150 million cubic feet of gas, just over a tenth of average national output, from its Ballenas field, operated by U.S. oil producer Chevron Corp and Ecopetrol, to the western side of neighboring Venezuela.

"What we're looking for is to guarantee sufficient availability of this fuel to the thermal stations," Colombian Energy Minister Amylkar Acosta told journalists, without revealing by how much the exports would be reduced.

"Whenever we have a surplus after attending to internal demand, which is the priority, there will be no problem to then supply this surplus gas to Venezuela," he said.