Colombian Crude Export System Begins Full Operation

Shipments began in October 1997 along Oleoducto Central S.A (OCENSA), the 837 km oil export system, consisting of 406, 762 and 914 mm (16”, 30” and 36”) diameter pipe, from eastern Colombia to the country’s north coast on the Carribean Sea. Start-up follows the completion of a phased construction program which began in 1993–94 and ended in September 1997. The system transports production from the Cusiana / Cupiagua oilfields, and several adjacent smaller production fields in the eastern foothills of the Andes to an offshore terminal loading unit 11 km offshore. The authors provide an operating overview of this system designed to handle some 88,410 m³/d (556 kbd) and some of its operating challenges.