This strategic line seeks to balance the water consumption in our operations, with the provision of safe water for the ecosystem, aiming to reach water neutrality. The comprehensive management of water generates value to business through the enabling of production and reserves and guarantees the availability and continuity of the current and future water supply for projects and operations, contributing to the sustainability of water resources.

Required water to operate

In 2023, the total water volume required to develop Ecopetrol’s value chain activities was 194,1 million cubic meters (m3). 79% of this volume (152,8 million m3) came from the reuse of effluents, and only 21% (41,3 million m3) was withdrawn from natural sources and/or purchased from aqueducts. The percentage of reused water required to operate has been increasing each year from 56% in 2017 to 79% in 2023, which has allowed a sustained reduction in freshwater withdrawals in the latest year, despite higher water requirements to operate.

Water withdrawals from natural sources and aqueducts

In 2023, 41,3 million m3 of water were withdrawn (8% compared to 2022) from surface sources (62%), groundwater (18%), and aqueducts and external suppliers (20%), using 105 withdrawal points located in 25 watersheds. The water collected is mainly used in Refining (74,9%), Production (24,8%) administrative areas, and ICP (0,3%).

Freshwater intensity

The freshwater withdrawal intensity for the processes with the highest demand (refining and production) during the last 5 years is presented in the following chart. Compared to the previous year, the freshwater withdrawal intensity per refined barrel was reduced to 1,27 Bbl water/Bbl oil (-7% compared to 2022) due to the increase in water recirculation, while in the Upstream segment, the freshwater withdrawal intensity remained stable at 0,3 Bbl water /Bbl oil.

Water reuse

Ecopetrol is committed to reuse water as a strategy to reduce freshwater withdrawals and discharges. During 2023, 152,8 million m3 of water were reused equivalent to 79% of the total required to operate, which means that Ecopetrol avoided the withdrawal and/or discharge of this volume. This figure represents an increase of 16% compared to 2022.

• Industrial water reuse

In 2023, Ecopetrol reused and recirculated 19 million m3 of effluents resulting from the use of withdrawn water. The percentage of reuse, calculated as the relationship between the volume of reused-recirculated water and the total volume withdrawn was 46%,   showing an increase of 2 percentual points concerning 2022, due to the identification and implementation of new recirculation initiatives, increasing reuse in the Downstream segment. In drilling activities, domestic and industrial wastewater is treated by tertiary treatments (reverse osmosis and demineralization) and then reused in the production of drilling mud, equipment washing, cooling water for pumps, and other industrial uses.

• Produced water reuse

In the Upstream processes, 133,8 million m3 of produced water were reused, which represents an increase of 17% compared to 2022, mainly caused by better performance in the reinjection of production water for recovery and/or pressure maintenance in the Rubiales, Castilla, Chichimene, and Apiay assets. The percentage of produced water reuse, calculated as the ratio between the volume of reused produced water and the total produced water generated, was 29%, 2 percentage points higher than in 2022.

The largest volumes of produced water reuse are concentrated in reinjection activities to maintain reservoir pressure or increase hydrocarbon production (133,5 million m3), and to a lesser extent (0,28 million m3), in the preparation of drilling mud, well maintenance, fire-fighting systems, equipment cooling, power generation (Termosuria), among others.

Effluent management

The total volume of effluents generated by Ecopetrol's operations during 2023 was 496 million m3, which includes:

• 463,4 million m3 of produced water (93% of total effluents). Produced water is a natural element during the extraction of hydrocarbons, since oil, gas and water are mixed in reservoirs (on average, for each barrel of oil equivalent, 11 barrels of produced water are generated). This mixture is brought to the surface, where the products (oil and gas) are separated from the water (produced water).

• 32,6 million m3 of wastewater (7% of total effluents), understood as the water resulting from use of water withdrawn in industrial and domestic purposes.

Produced water reinjection

386,42 million m3 of produced water were reinjected back to the underground, which corresponds to 84% of the total produced water; 252,9 million m3 of produced water were reinjected for Disposal, and 133,5 million m3 were reinjected for oil recovery and pressure maintenance (accounted as reuse).

Reuse of produced water in agricultural activities

The reuse of produced water in agricultural activities is another alternative for wastewater management, framed within Colombian environmental regulations. During 2023, Ecopetrol reused 5,09 million m3 of produced water, 3,6 million m3 corresponds from Campo Castilla for the irrigation of forest crops in the Agroenergy Sustainability Area (ASA) and 1,5 million m3 corresponds From Campo Rubiales for the irrigation of forest crops in the Sustainability Area (SAARA), which represents 1% of the total produced water. Compared to the previous year, there was an increase of 35%, due to the start-up of the project (SAARA) in Campo Rubiales.

Wastewater discharge

A total of 85,1 million m3 of wastewater was discharged, representing an increase of 6% compared to the previous year, caused by the entry of a new discharge point in Rubiales. The upstream segment generated 84,9% of the total discharges (mainly produced water), the downstream segment 15%, and corporate areas 0,1%; 95,7% of the discharges were made to surface water bodies, 3,6% to the sea, 0,5% to the ground and 0,2% were delivered to external managers and sewers. In total, 26 basins were used for discharging wastewater.

Quality of discharges

The Company has robust treatment systems, which allow for the removal of contaminants present in wastewater, and compliance with the quality standards established in environmental regulations for discharges to surface water bodies (Resolution 631 of 2015), marine waters (Resolution 0883 of 2018), or soil (Resolution 699 of 2021). For the specific case of the oil and gas sector, maximum values were defined depending on the activity within the segment, and monitoring was conducted for over 40 quality parameters. Additionally, for the definition of quality criteria, in compliance with current regulations, environmental assessments of discharges are conducted based on the assimilation and dilution capacity of the receiving bodies to minimize impacts on the resource.

These years are included in the transition regime allowed by environmental authorities to adjust the treatment systems to comply with the new standard for discharges to surface bodies.

Water consumption

Water consumption is defined as the difference between the volume of water withdrawals and the volume of water that is returned to the natural environment. Using the CDP Water Security Reporting Guidance (2020) methodology, the estimated water consumption in 2023 was 19,5 million m3, which is equivalent to 4% of total inputs. Most of the consumption is recorded in the refining segment due to evaporation losses.

Water related risks

Water is a vital resource for Ecopetrol's operations and projects. For this reason, water related risks are continuously identified, in which possible scenarios that may affect the continuity of operations are evaluated and anticipated. In this sense, a business risk called "Inadequate management of climate change and water" was established since 2020, in which treatment actions and controls are managed at the corporate and operational level to minimize the company's exposure to impacts resulting from the materialization of the identified water-related threats.

During 2023, a 64% reduction in freshwater extraction in water-stressed areas was achieved, mainly due to optimizations in the injection process at the assets in Huila, where the volume of captured water required for recovery was reduced by more than 99%

1. Direct to the Caribbean · 1206 
The Cartagena Refinery purshased 8,36 Mm3 of raw water from the Cartagena aqueduct, which is equivalent to 3,3% of the available supply from the sub-basin. As a strategy to minimize the use of water, the Refinery reuses 62% of the purchased water.

2. Sogamoso River · 2405
The Barrancabermeja Refinery withdrawn 3,45 Mm3 of freshwater from the San Silvestre swamp, which is equivalent to 0.2% of the available supply of the sub-basin. For their part, the Llanito and Lisama production fields withdrawn 17 Mm3 from surface and underground points.

3. Juncal River · 2109 and Fortalecillas River · 2111
62,9 Mm3 of freshwater were withdrawn to supply Neiva, Tello and Río Ceibas oil fields. In these fields, 100% of the produced water is reused for oil recovery, and freshwater extracted from deep underground wells, avoiding pressure on the surface resources.

4. Yaguará River · 2108
22,2 Mm3 were withdrawn from the Betania Dam to supply the Yaguará oil field. This value represents 0,004% of the available water supply of the subbasin. In this facility, 100% of produced water is reused.

Regarding regulatory and legal risks, Ecopetrol actively participated in the processes of modification and updating of regulations related to water resources. In 2023, Ecopetrol participated in:

• A diagnostic process for the reformulation of the National Policy for Integrated Water Resource Management, which ensures the availability, quality, and sustainable use of water, highlighting both the present and future needs of society and the environment.

• An initiative to modify Law 99 of 1993, a fundamental piece of Colombian environmental legislation that seeks to promote sustainable development and environmental protection through the appropriate regulation and management of natural resources.

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