Links between the UK energy supply chain and the Colombian oil and gas industry have been boosted after a two-day fact-finding mission to the north-east by state oil company Ecopetrol.
Hosted by Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, the delegation was briefed on the expertise available in the north-east and had site visits to Expro, KCA Deutag and Subsea 7.
Ecopetrol aims to produce the equivalent of one million barrels of crude oil by 2015, stretching to 1.3million by 2020, and it is now looking at opening a European office in London.
The company’s growth strategy involves an estimated £52billion investment between now and 2020, almost exclusively in upstream projects.
This week’s visit to Scotland was, therefore, a golden opportunity for the UK oil and gas supply chain.
Accompanying the group was Tony Regan, deputy UK ambassador in Colombia, who said: “We are here to re-establish the UK oil and gas supply chain in Colombia.
“During the early years of BP in Colombia, the UK was a key player, but we have lost ground.
“Colombia is a country with strong economic fun- damentals, it is enjoying 4-5% annual economic growth which, coupled with its OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) membership, provides a great export opportunity across all sectors.
“The oil and gas sector expertise available through Aberdeen is very much needed in Colombia if the country is to meet its ambitious production targets.”
Watch our interview about the oil links between Colombia and Scotland below
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