VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #0463/01 0442107
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 132107Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7015
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1647
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 6986
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ FEB PANAMA 3003
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 7694
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 8645
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000463 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DOE FOR MSMITH, SBROWNE, GWARD & LEINSTEIN; SOUTHCOM FOR 
CGONZALEZ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG EAID PGOV PREL CO
SUBJECT: PROTECTING COLOMBIA'S CRITICAL ENERGY 
INFRASTRUCTURE - A USG ASSESSMENT 
 
REF: 07 BOGOTA 3017 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: In follow up to the August 2008 Department 
of Energy (DOE) Deputy Secretary visit to Colombia and 
subsequent request by Colombian Minister of Mines and Energy 
Hernan Martinez, a team of DOE and U.S. Southern Command 
experts completed a preliminary scoping visit January 25-31, 
2009 to assess risks to Colombia's critical energy 
infrastructure.  The visit, which focused on priority 
electrical network, oil refining and fuel loading facilities 
identified by the GOC, represents a new area of bilateral 
collaboration in the energy sector and will result in 
recommendations to the GOC for increasing the reliability, 
survivability, and resiliency of Colombia's energy network. 
END SUMMARY 
 
Shared Interest in Protecting Energy Infrastructure 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) During the visit of Acting Deputy Secretary of 
Energy Jeffrey Kupfer to Colombia August 7-9, 2008 (reftel), 
Energy Minister Martinez stressed critical energy 
infrastructure protection as a key area for potential 
bilateral cooperation based on a shared interest in 
maintaining safe and stable energy supplies in the region. 
Following a series of digital video conferences and 
preliminary data exchanges, in which Colombia identified its 
oil refining, gas distribution and electrical network 
facilities as its primary concerns, DOE sent a team of 
infrastructure and policy experts to Colombia January 25-31 
for technical briefs in Bogota and site visits to identify 
areas of improvement for system reliability, resiliency and 
survivability of Colombia's highest priority sites.  The 
Minister also requested DOE assistance in independently 
analyzing recent findings by contracted private security 
consultants. 
 
Crown Jewels: Refineries, Fuel & Electrical Networks 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Based on the initial briefings provided by DOE on 
critical infrastructure protection efforts in the United 
States and around the region, Minister Martinez identified 
Colombia's two refineries, its distribution pipeline network, 
and the electrical grid central control system as top 
priorities for DOE assessment.  Accordingly, the team visited 
the National Electric Grid Center in Medellin, state-owned 
Ecopetrol's 250,000 barrel per day (bpd) Barrancabermeja 
refinery, and the joint Ecopetrol and Glencore-owned 80,000 
bpd refinery in Cartagena. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  As part of the restructuring and privatization of 
the electrical sector begun in 1991, Colombia's electrical 
grid network is managed by the XM company through a 
centralized control center in Medellin that distributes 99 
percent of Colombia's 13,227 MW in electricity generation 
capacity.  Depending on annual rainfall, between 50 and 80 
percent of Colombian generation is derived from hydroelectric 
facilities with most of the balance from fossil fuel-fired 
plants.  Domestic electricity demand accounts for 8,762 MW, 
with surplus electricity exported to Ecuador and Venezuela. 
Colombia currently supplies 20 percent of Ecuador's 
electricity demand and is planning to connect to supply the 
Panamanian grid by 2012 via submarine cable.  Nevertheless, 
Colombia's grid has experienced some blackouts, most recently 
in 2007 due to system and personnel error. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Barrancabermeja refinery supplies approximately 
70 percent of Colombia's domestic fuel needs and serves as a 
central routing point for crude and refined products 
transported between Colombia's northern coast and central 
population and industrial centers.  The 250-hectare facility 
generates USD 1 billion in revenues for Ecopetrol annually 
and employs 4,500 direct and contract.  Ecopetrol plans to 
invest USD 10 billion between 2009 and 2015 to increase the 
refinery's recovery rate refined products from 80 percent to 
95 percent of each barrel of crude.  The Cartagena refinery 
supplies much of Colombia's domestic diesel fuel and is 
currently undergoing a USD 2.6 billion expansion to nearly 
 
double capacity to 150,000 bpd by 2012.  Adjacent to the 
refinery, Ecopetrol operates a large refined products 
maritime loading dock for export shipments to the U.S. and 
Europe, as well as storage facilities with 475,000 barrels of 
capacity. 
 
Preliminary Observations 
------------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) Electrical sector: Upon completion of the site 
visits and technical discussions, the DOE team noted that 
Colombia's electrical system had proven adaptable in the face 
of long-term security threats posed by terrorism. 
Nevertheless, the team observed several potential 
vulnerabilities, particularly relating to the survivability 
and interconnectedness of grid substations as well as 
oscillations in the power supply that hinder connection to 
major industrial and refining facilities.  Among the initial 
observations, the team noted the development of clear 
criteria for identifying critical substations, a careful 
evaluation of the relay system between substations, 
correction of power oscillations, development of a SCADA 
communications roadmap, and implementation of a rigorous 
crisis training program as areas for further evaluation. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Oil and gas sector: The team observed that 
Colombia's two refineries and natural gas distribution 
network, while in generally good condition, also faced 
vulnerabilities in communications, power supply, and threat 
assessment and preparedness.  Among initial observations, the 
Barrancabermeja refinery's consolidated communications 
facility, its connectivity difficulties with the local 
electricity grid, the absence of an overall policy for 
sharing threat information between facility operators and 
security officials, and superficial threat assessment efforts 
at the refinery in Cartagena, all represent system risks. 
 
Next Steps 
---------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Based on this scoping visit, DOE will complete a 
draft report on critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, with 
U.S. Southern Command input, for initial GOC review by April 
¶1.  U.S. Southern Command, in coordination with DOE, is 
exploring the possibility of organizing a two-day conference 
in early May to formally review and discuss the report's 
conclusion with Colombian stakeholders in the Ministry of 
Mines and Energy, the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), 
ISA, Ecopetrol, and the Ministry of Defense.  Following this 
review process, Colombian authorities will evaluate resources 
for implementing the report's recommendations and addressing 
the identified vulnerabilities to the national energy 
sector's resiliency, reliability and survivability toward 
threats posed by security, natural disaster, and accidents. 
 
¶9. (SBU) At the conclusion of the January 30 outbrief, 
Ministry of Mines and Energy officials inquired about 
receiving DOE advice on regulating commercial uranium mining. 
 The DOE team agreed to forward points of contact in this 
area to the Ministry. 
 
¶10. (U) The Department of Energy and U.S. Southern Command 
team members cleared this cable. 
BROWNFIELD