Ecopetrol names Carlos Mario Ríos interim head of Cartagena

Ecopetrol announced that Carlos Mario Ríos Hurtado took over as interim general manager of the Cartagena refinery starting October 1, 2026. Prior to the appointment, Ríos Hurtado served as head of the process engineering department at the facility.

Ríos Hurtado holds a chemical engineering degree from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and a master's degree in engineering with an emphasis on refining processes from the Universidad de los Andes. He brings 23 years of experience at Ecopetrol, working across engineering initiatives, operational reliability, and process optimization.

Alfonso Núñez, who previously served as the interim general manager, returned to his position as head of the operations department at Refinería de Cartagena SAS. Ecopetrol noted his work in preserving operational stability and fuel supply to the Caribbean region and Colombia.