The city of Riohacha in northeastern Colombia is celebrating the opening of its first compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station. Located on the exit of the main road to Valledupar, the station, which sells CNG under the Gazel brand, has been designed to serve up to 1,000 customers on a daily basis.
The project was implemented through a joint effort between Terpel which owns the Gazel brand, local authorities and other participants in the supply chain, with the aim of providing access to a fuel that offers stable supply and price. Sylvia Escovar, President of Terpel, explained that his company decided “to build the first CNG filling station in Riohacha considering that 70% of Colombia’s gas production occurs in this department.”
The implementation of this station is viewed as an opportunity to reduce air pollution, increase security of supply and provide the region with an alternative cheaper fuel. Additionally, the provision of CNG is intended to help authorities combat rampant fuel smuggling which is creating economic challenges.
