The city of Barranquilla hosted the Naturgas 2025 Congress, organized by the Colombian Natural Gas Association (Naturgas). The event brought together sector leaders, government authorities, investors, and international experts in a key space for dialogue on the present and future of natural gas as an integral component of the energy transition.
Representing the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), María Alejandra Garzón Sánchez, Technical Consultant, took part in the Technical Conference on Methane Emissions, where she highlighted the challenges faced by countries in the region when incorporating methane emissions into national inventories for the hydrocarbons sector. “The Biennial Transparency Reports reveal the challenges in incorporating methane emissions into national inventories for the oil and gas sector. Coordinated institutional and sectoral efforts are key to continuous improvement,” she stated.
In this context, OLADE announced the upcoming launch of the Community of Practice on Methane (COEMLAC)—an initiative designed to boost the technical knowledge ecosystem and promote effective emission mitigation solutions in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Additionally, Esteban Kiper, OLADE’s expert in natural gas, participated in panels on energy investments in the region, emphasizing that the boom in renewables and the expansion of the oil & gas sector have positioned Latin America and the Caribbean as a key player in global energy security.
“The region has diversified its energy matrix and strengthened its strategic role thanks to its vast resource potential. However, the saturation of transmission systems and ongoing social and environmental challenges require new strategies to further expand sustainable investments,” he noted.
Kiper also warned that uncertainty surrounding the energy transition is impacting the expansion of gas infrastructure such as pipelines. In contrast, success stories like Vaca Muerta in Argentina and the rapid oil development in Brazil demonstrate that a clear, defined, and consensual strategy is essential to attract sustainable investment.
OLADE’s representatives concluded with a call to governments, the private sector, and civil society to collectively build a horizon of trust, based on strong regulatory frameworks, ongoing dialogue, and technical cooperation that will enable natural gas and renewable gases to serve as key vectors for an orderly, fair, and sustainable energy transition across the region.
