Ecopetrol secures permit for Bucare development area

Colombia's National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA) granted the environmental license to the Bucare Development Area, operated by state oil company Ecopetrol. The decision allows the asset to advance into its production phase in the municipality of Acacías, located in the department of Meta.

The license authorizes infrastructure required for drilling wells, platforms, production facilities, flow lines, access roads, and associated operational systems. Ecopetrol plans to build and operate up to 16 production pads, a central processing facility of up to 42 hectares, and three satellite facilities covering up to five hectares each.

The development also includes up to 33 kilometers of new access roads, 132 kilometers of flow lines, and 28 kilometers of electrical transmission lines of 34.5 kV and 115 kV. For its energy supply, the project incorporates a photovoltaic solar farm of up to 42 MW alongside binary plants to generate power from formation fluids.

ANLA also approved a biotic compensation plan covering 643.76 hectares, designed to offset the planned intervention across 468.60 hectares of natural, semi-natural, and transformed ecosystems. The regulator confirmed it will monitor the environmental commitments through conservation agreements, easements, payments for environmental services, and land acquisitions.