Colombia Minister Sees End to Rain That Caused Floods, Explosion

Colombia is returning to dry weather after last year’s excessive rainfall that contributed to flooding and a pipeline explosion, said the country’s mines and energy minister.

Drier weather this year is signaling the conclusion of climate pattern La Niña that caused the storms, said Mines and Energy Minister Mauricio Cardenas.

“That was the end of our second La Niña,” Cardenas said. “

The year has started as a very dry year, so now concerns are just the opposite.”

Colombia must adapt to climate change that is causing swings in weather patterns, Cardenas said. 

Storms contributed to a breach in a fuel pipeline in central Colombia last month that triggered an explosion killing 25 people. 

Rainfall caused temporary production stoppages last month at Cerrejon, Colombia’s largest coal mine owned by BHP Billiton Plc, Anglo American Plc and Xstrata Plc.

Dry weather may increase domestic demand for costlier natural gas by utilities in Colombia, which also supplies neighboring Venezuela with the fuel.

It’s “premature” to say Colombia would need to reduce those exports, Cardenas said. Supply contracts specify that Colombian domestic consumption receives priority over exports, which “Venezuela understands,” Cardenas said.

Drier weather may aid Colombia’s plan to increase coal production to 97 million tons this year from last year’s estimated 85 million tons, Cardenas said.

Total production of all oil companies operating in Colombia will rise to an average of 1.1 million barrels a day in December 2.012 from 930,000 barrels a day last year, he said.

Other Latin American countries are grappling with droughts that is damaging crops from Mexico to Argentina’s pampas.