Exported Products

Petroleum

Colombia achieved oil self-sufficiency for the first time in the early 1970's. Through 1987 crude oil production increased each year in the 1980's, reaching 400,000 barrels per day. The largest field, Cravo Norte, produced 150,000 barrels per day and accounted for most of the increased output for each year, allowing Colombia to become an oil exporter. Secondary recovery methods in the older oil fields, some of which dated back to 1918, enhanced production. Crude exports reached 16.5 million barrels in 1990. Colombia nowadays has four refineries producing for domestic and export markets. These refineries have a crude oil distillation capacity of 226,000 barrels per day (bpd).

The quality of Colombian oil varies from very heavy, sludge-like crude, use only for asphalt and related products, to very light, high-quality crude that is easily refined into gasoline and other fuel products.