Hocol
Hocol is a Colombian oil and gas exploration, production, and natural gas commercialization company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ecopetrol. It operates across Colombia Norte, Llanos, and Valle Superior del Magdalena, supplying industrial energy buyers and is developing the Ballenas LNG project with TGI.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersBogotá, Colombia
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hocol does
Hocol is a Colombian upstream oil and gas company and a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Ecopetrol, Colombia's state-owned petroleum group. Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Bogotá, Hocol conducts oil and gas exploration, production, and natural gas commercialization across three Colombian operating regions: Colombia Norte, Llanos, and Valle Superior del Magdalena. The company's commercial activity includes interruptible natural gas supply contracts for the Arjona, Arrecife, and Chuchupa fields, governed by CREG Resolution 080 2019, with buyers comprising industrial energy consumers in Colombia.
Hocol commercializes hydrocarbons through direct B2B agreements with industrial energy buyers, with pricing terms available on a transactional basis via official company channels. The company operates as a vertically integrated E&P player within Ecopetrol's corporate group, with corporate governance directed by Ecopetrol under the 'Instructivo para las Juntas Directivas del Grupo Ecopetrol' and Hocol's bylaws. Headcount is reported in the 251-500 band, and the company maintains corporate communications via its website, LinkedIn, and Facebook pages, alongside an ethics channel and a supplier portal.
Strategically, Hocol is positioned to expand its role beyond traditional upstream into midstream LNG infrastructure through the Ballenas project — a joint venture with Transportadora de Gas Internacional (TGI) to connect a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in La Guajira to Colombia's national gas pipeline network. The project, announced January 27, 2026 with targeted operations in January 2027, is designed to deliver up to 250 million cubic feet per day of regasified natural gas into the national system, addressing projected Colombian gas supply gaps. The company has also faced material 2026 governance and labor developments, including a labor complaint against its president and the formation of its first labor union in more than six decades.
Hocol firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hocol
- Legal name
- Hocol S.A.
- Website
- https://hocol.com.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Hocol is a Colombian oil and gas exploration, production, and natural gas commercialization company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ecopetrol. It operates across Colombia Norte, Llanos, and Valle Superior del Magdalena, supplying industrial energy buyers and is developing the Ballenas LNG project with TGI.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hocol industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Oil and Gas Exploration and Production
- NAICS
- Oil and Gas Extraction (211), Natural Gas Extraction (21113)
- SIC
- Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution (4923)
- akta.pro primary industry
- LNG Regasification Terminals (Onshore & FSRU) (EUALAFAB)
Keywords
Where Hocol is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bogotá
- HQ country
- Colombia
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hocol business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Oil and Gas Production and Sales: Hocol generates revenue through oil and gas exploration, production, and commercialization activities as a subsidiary of Ecopetrol, Colombia's state oil company.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Interruptible gas supply for Arjona, Arrecife, and Chuchupa fields |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Hocol product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hocol is an oil and gas exploration and production company that researches, develops, and markets hydrocarbons in Colombia. The company operates across multiple Colombian basins including Colombia Norte, Llanos, and Valle Superior del Magdalena, and commercializes natural gas under interruptible supply arrangements for specific fields (Arjona, Arrecife, Chuchupa). Through the Ballenas LNG project with TGI, Hocol is developing LNG regasification capacity to supply Colombia's national gas transport system.
Product overview
Hocol is a Colombian oil and gas exploration and production company and subsidiary of Ecopetrol. The company operates a vertically integrated model encompassing oil and gas exploration, production, and natural gas commercialization. Through a joint venture with Transportadora de Gas Internacional (TGI), Hocol is developing the Ballenas LNG project—a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in La Guajira—to address Colombia's projected natural gas deficit by enabling LNG imports. The company operates across multiple Colombian regions including Colombia Norte, Llanos, and Valle Superior del Magdalena, and offers natural gas supply under various commercialization modalities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Oil and Gas Exploration Exploration of oil and gas resources in Colombia across multiple basins including Colombia Norte, Llanos, and Valle Superior del Magdalena.
- Oil and Gas Production Production operations for oil and gas extracted from Hocol's operating fields in Colombia, contributing to the country's domestic hydrocarbon supply.
- Natural Gas Commercialization Commercialization of natural gas under supply with interruptions modality for fields including Arjona, Arrecife, and Chuchupa, supplying industrial energy buyers in Colombia under regulated CREG Resolution 080 2019.
- Ballenas LNG Project Floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) project in La Guajira that connects LNG imports to Colombia's national gas transport system, with capacity up to 250 million cubic feet per day of regasified natural gas.
Companies that use Hocol
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Hocol technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Hocol partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TGI (Transportadora de Gas Internacional)coreHocol and TGI signed an agreement to connect a floating LNG storage and regasification unit (Ballenas project) in La Guajira to Colombia's national gas transport system. Operations expected to begin January 2027. The Ballenas LNG project will allow up to 250 million cubic feet per day of regasified natural gas to enter Colombia's pipeline network.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Hocol competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Canacol Energy: Colombia-focused independent E&P with a gas-weighted production mix and operated exploration and production acreage across multiple Colombian basins, including gas commercialization — directly comparable to Hocol's upstream and gas commercialization business.
- Parex Resources: Colombia-focused upstream operator with concentrated acreage in the Llanos and Magdalena basins and similar exposure to oil production and country-specific operational risk — a directly comparable E&P competitor within Colombia.
- GeoPark: Latin American independent E&P with operations in Colombia producing oil and gas across multiple basins, comparable in scale and product mix to Hocol's upstream operations.
- Gran Tierra Energy: Colombia-focused upstream operator with oil and gas exploration and production operations across several Colombian basins, directly comparable to Hocol's basin-by-basin production footprint.
- Frontera Energy: Colombia-rooted E&P (successor to Pacific Exploration) with diversified upstream operations in Colombia and Latin America, directly comparable in production base and Colombian regulatory exposure to Hocol.
Broad incumbents
- Ecopetrol: Hocol's parent company and Colombia's largest integrated oil and gas operator covering upstream, midstream, refining and transportation — overlapping with Hocol across the upstream and gas commercialization segments while operating at vastly larger scale.
- Repsol (Colombia operations): Global integrated energy major with historical upstream and gas operations in Colombia, comparable to Hocol in Colombian upstream exposure but operating as part of a much broader global portfolio.
- Petrobras (Colombia / regional): Brazil-headquartered integrated energy major with regional upstream and gas operations including interest in Colombian basins — broader incumbent with overlapping upstream capabilities relevant to Hocol's market.
Others
- Transportadora de Gas Internacional (TGI): Colombian gas transporter and Hocol's joint venture partner in the Ballenas LNG project — adjacent participant that connects Hocol's regasification capacity to the national pipeline network.
Regional players
- Lewis Energy Colombia: Colombia-focused upstream operator with gas-weighted production, comparable to Hocol's exploration and production activities in Colombian basins.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Hocol social profiles
Digital presenceHocol financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hocol leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Hocol funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hocol M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hocol
What does Hocol do?
Hocol is an oil and gas exploration and production company that researches, develops, and markets hydrocarbons in Colombia. The company operates across multiple Colombian basins including Colombia Norte, Llanos, and Valle Superior del Magdalena, and commercializes natural gas under interruptible supply arrangements for specific fields (Arjona, Arrecife, Chuchupa). Through the Ballenas LNG project with TGI, Hocol is developing LNG regasification capacity to supply Colombia's national gas transport system.
Is Hocol a public or private company?
Hocol is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Hocol founded?
Hocol was founded in 1956. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Hocol based?
Hocol is headquartered in Bogotá, Colombia, in the Latin America region.
How does Hocol make money?
One revenue line is on record: oil and Gas Production and Sales.
Who are Hocol's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Canacol Energy, Parex Resources, GeoPark, Gran Tierra Energy and Frontera Energy. Broad incumbents are Ecopetrol, Repsol (Colombia operations) and Petrobras (Colombia / regional). Transportadora de Gas Internacional (TGI) is listed as an others. Lewis Energy Colombia is listed as a regional player.
Does Hocol have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hocol.
What industry is Hocol in?
Hocol's product category is Oil and Gas Exploration and Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALAFAB, LNG Regasification Terminals (Onshore & FSRU). Its NAICS code is 211 and its SIC code is 4923.