The hydrocarbons sector joins the ‘National Circular Economy Strategy’

The hydrocarbons sector is the first to be linked to the ‘National Circular Economy Strategy’, which promotes the implementation of initiatives related to water reuse, energy efficiency, and waste utilization, which will contribute to the sustainable development of the country.

Ecopetrol and the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP) announced their involvement in the ‘National Government Circular Economy Strategy’ that seeks to promote new sustainable business models based on the closure of production cycles, through innovation, efficient use of water and energy, and the reuse of raw materials and waste.

The Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, structured and launched in 2018 the ‘National Circular Economy Strategy’, making Colombia the first country in Latin America to implement such a strategy, and the hydrocarbon industry the first to adopt it.

“This is the first event organized by a productive sector with the aim of showcasing and promoting initiatives for the efficient use of materials, water, and energy. We are pleased to see that the hydrocarbon sector already has initiatives focused on the circular economy that are contributing to the sustainable development of the country,” said the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ricardo Lozano.

For his part, the Executive Vice President of Ecopetrol, Alberto Consuegra, pointed out that “although the sector has made progress in implementing actions related to the circular economy, there is still much to be done. The task we have together is to find those opportunities that allow us to maximize water reuse and the reuse of raw materials.”.

With the aim of promoting the National Circular Economy Strategy within companies, working groups and action fronts were formed during the event, in order to identify regulatory, financial, social, and administrative barriers, as well as opportunities to project the country as a model to follow in the implementation of circular economy models.

[prefix_blockquote cite=»Vice President of Operations and Sustainability of the Colombian Petroleum Association, Rafael Herz.» align=»right»]»This event allows us to identify which circular economy initiatives are already being developed by the hydrocarbon industry and which additional ones need to be implemented. This concept also focuses its models on the consumer and productive sectors, seeking to strengthen the efficient use of raw materials and resources, such as water and energy.»[/prefix_blockquote]

The Colombian Petroleum Association, through the Used Lubricating Oils Fund (FAU) and companies in the sector, has made progress in aspects related to the reuse of water resources, the management of sludge and valorization, and the utilization of waste in the case of used lubricating oils.

Likewise, the Ecopetrol Group is advancing various projects in the country, among which the following stand out:

• The reuse of treated production water in agricultural and livestock activities, at the ASA center in the department of Meta; in 2019, the reuse of 1.5 million barrels of water has been allowed, and it is expected to reach 25 million barrels when the system is operating at 100%.
• The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction program managed to verify the reduction of more than one million tons of CO2 with the international auditor Ruby Canyon Engineering through gas utilization, energy efficiency, and steam projects developed in the Casabe field and Barrancabermeja refinery.
• Research studies, technical and economic feasibility on the transformation of oily waste into cold by-products are being conducted to improve the tertiary road network in some highways of the country.

The first Circular Economy Day of the hydrocarbons sector was held in Bogotá and featured the participation of the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ricardo Lozano; the director of the National Authority of Environmental Licenses, Rodrigo Suárez; the vice president of Operations and Sustainability of the ACP, Rafael Herz; and the executive vice president of Ecopetrol, Alberto Consuegra.