Hocol announces gas discovery in the Colombian Caribbean with the Merecumbé 1 well.

HOCOL S.A. informs that the Merecumbé 1 well, located 40 kilometers from Barranquilla, in the department of Atlántico, confirmed the presence of natural gas.

• The well found gas in an area near the municipality of Ponedera, central-eastern region of the Atlántico department.
• HOCOL S.A., a subsidiary of Ecopetrol S.A., has a 50% stake in the SSJN1 contract and leads geological and geophysical activities; for its part, Lewis Energy Colombia Inc. is the operator of the area, with a 50% stake and leads drilling, completion, testing, and production activities.

The Merecumbé 1 well was successfully drilled between November 5 and 27, 2019, within the expected schedule and cost. Short tests of the well were conducted in several phases during the first half of 2020.

The records and information taken during drilling indicate that the well found natural gas in intervals of conglomerate sandstones and some layers of limestones from the Chengue Formation of Eocene Age.

This new discovery confirms the potential of the Sinú San Jacinto folded belt, one of the focal areas of Hocol S.A.'s exploratory strategy, where the aim is to increase gas reserves and strengthen exploration in Colombia, alongside globally expert companies like Lewis Energy.

“This discovery is an additional demonstration of our commitment to supplying gas for the Colombian Caribbean. Likewise, it continues to materialize our growth strategy through exploration and being a company with production of 50% gas and 50% oil,” said Rafael Guzmán, President of Hocol.

Lewis Energy Colombia Inc. is a leading gas production company in the United States, with over 30 years of experience, mainly in South Texas. It operates more than 1,400 natural gas wells and has stakes in blocks in Colombia and Mexico.

Bogotá D.C, July 16, 2020
For more information, you can contact: Media Relations
David Parra Góngora
Phone: + 571-4884000 Ext. 4748