en.Wedoany.com Reported - Colombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy has granted a geothermal exploration license for the El Barranquero area, located between the municipalities of Samaná in the department of Caldas and Nariño in the department of Antioquia.

The license is valid for five years and requires a comprehensive exploration program, including the construction of a geological model of the subsurface geothermal reservoir, drilling a deep exploration well, and assessing the geothermal field's potential. The government estimates the project investment at 385 billion Colombian pesos (approximately $11.8 million). The license also includes obligations for responsible development of geothermal resources, involving community engagement and implementing mechanisms to ensure coexistence with other projects in the mining-energy sector.

Neither the official announcements from the Ministry of Mines and Energy nor the Presidency of the Republic specified which entity was granted the license. The El Barranquero area is part of the San Diego geothermal district, whose potential was previously estimated at 133.79 megawatts by the Colombian Geological Survey (Servicio Geológico Colombiano).

This is the third significant geothermal exploration project announced in Colombia over the past year. In July 2025, Ecopetrol obtained a geothermal exploration license for the Azufral001 area in the department of Nariño. Additionally, a few months ago, environmental feasibility was approved for geothermal exploration in the Nereidas area in the department of Caldas.