Colombia and Venezuela have reached an agreement to repair a long-dormant binational pipeline, a move that would allow Bogota to resume importing natural gas from its neighbor, Colombia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy announced Wednesday.

The Antonio Ricaurte pipeline has been inactive for several years due to technical neglect and diplomatic tensions. However, a roadmap for re-establishing operations was formalized during a high-level meeting involving Colombia’s energy ministry, its environmental licensing authority (ANLA), and Venezuela’s state-run oil giant, PDVSA.

The announcement precedes a scheduled meeting this Friday between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, signaling a continued warming of energy and political relations between the two South American nations.

According to a statement from the ministry, PDVSA will be responsible for executing the technical repairs. The work is expected to follow the pipeline's original 225-kilometer (140-mile) route while strictly adhering to current environmental regulations.

“The goal is to ensure the integrity of the infrastructure while respecting the ecological standards of both territories,” the ministry stated.

The Antonio Ricaurte pipeline is a critical piece of regional infrastructure. At full functionality, it has a transport capacity of 500 million cubic feet of gas per day. 

For Colombia, the restoration of the link offers a potential solution to looming domestic energy deficits. For Venezuela, it provides a vital export channel for its massive natural gas reserves.

While the timeline for the first gas deliveries remains unspecified, the agreement marks the most concrete step toward energy integration since the two countries restored diplomatic ties in 2022. 

Officials noted that the technical assessment of the damaged sections will begin immediately to determine the full scope of the rehabilitation costs.