The journey of the pipeline through Boyacá was a significant engineering challenge. Here is the highest spot of the route at 2,979 m.a.s.l.
We have left the flat lands of Casanare to enter into the mountains of Boyaca, on the Eastern Cordillera. The department has all thermal floors with temperatures ranging from 35° C. in Puerto Boyacá to below 0° C. in El Cocuy. It has two national natural parks and two flora and fauna sanctuaries. In addition to its biodiversity, it has a hydrological wealth that has become a significant source of electricity for the department and the country.
The pipeline's crossing through Boyaca was a significant engineering challenge. There are three stations on the route in the department: Paez, Miraflores and Vasconia. We invite you to a tour through the territory where is born the energy that we move for Colombia.
Characteristics of relief and geographical features in the area of the department of Casanare where the pipeline route begins and are located three stations Cupiagua, Cusiana and El Porvenir.
Navigate the map horizontally
Stretch
Porvenir - PáezDistance
32 kmStretch
Páez - MirafloresDistance
21.30 kmStretch
Miraflores - La BellezaDistance
137.8 kmPáez
1.263 m.a.s.l.Miraflores
1.785 m.a.s.l.Vasconia
130 m.a.s.l.The department of Boyaca has a diversity of flora that provides a high range of ecosystems, such as the llanero foothills, the Andean forest, high Andean, humid tropical and paramo areas.
The Andean or cloud forest is perhaps one of the most threatened natural landscapes in the country. Deforestation is causing that only 4% of the original coverage remains, since it has been transformed into pastures for livestock and crops.The paramo zone (above 3,200 m.a.s.l.) is one of the fundamental ecosystems for the conservation and regulation of water. In Colombia there are half of all the paramos in the world.
The pipeline crosses the paramo complex of Tota-Bijagual-Mamapacha, one of the largest in the country, between the municipalities of Garagoa, Chinavita, Ramiriqui, Tibana, Cienaga and Varicacha in Boyaca.
The department's hydric wealth begins with the paramos and glacial lakes found along the Eastern Cordillera, in the upper mountain range (above 3,000 m.a.s.l.). From them flows the water that supplies five hydrographic basins with the rivers: Magdalena, Suarez, Chicamocha, Arauca and Meta, and the sub-basins of the Guavio, Cravo Sur, Lengupá, Upía, Cusiana and Pauto rivers.
The diversity of Boyacá's topography, with its mountains, narrow valleys and wide plains, provides a diversity of thermal floors ranging from warm (700 m.a.s.l.) to snow-capped (over 4,800 m.a.s.l.).
Between the months of december, january, february and march, the climate is temperate (17° C.) with moderate rainfall. During the months of april, may, october and november, there is the most rainfall.
The Andean forest, with its several gradients (above 2,000 m.a.s.l.), is the habitat of 177 species of mammals. Home to emblematic specimens for Colombia such as the spectacled bear, the only South American bear, the Pudu mephistophiles, and the Tapirus or mountain tapir. Also inhabit 380 species of amphibians such as frogs: Atelopus varius, blue, golden poisonous, and the cane toad; 271 species of reptiles and 184 species of fish.
Colombia's mountains have the greatest diversity of birds in the world. There are 974 recorded species of which at least 19 face an extremely high risk of extinction as their habitat is limited to small areas. Some threatened bird species are: the spot-flanked gallinule, the yellow-eared parrot, the short-tailed parrot,endemic to Colombia, the black duck and the Andean condor.
This park is located in a strategic location in the Eastern Mountain Range, from where important rivers, streams, and lakes are born. It has ecosystems of paramo, sub-paramo and high Andean forest in the northeastern part of Boyaca, creating the Tota-Pisba-Cocuy Biological Corridor.
It has unique elements of biodiversity of the Eastern Cordillera and endemic species of flora. It is the source of major high mountain lakes that harbor a great diversity of fauna (primarily migratory and native birds) and flora. The paramo is the source of the region's water network.
The protected area is located in the Eastern Andes mountain range, in the jurisdiction of the municipalities of Duitama (Boyaca), Encino, Charala and Gambita, in the south of the department of Santander.
The sanctuary is part of the paramo and Andean forest corridor known as the Guantiva - La Rusia - Iguaque conservation corridor. It is mostly steep relief and canyon valleys that become stronger towards the north area, where ancient rocks (igneous-acid) forming rocky ridges, large escarpments, and irregular slopes are observed. The climate of the sanctuary corresponds mostly to the isothermal temperate rainforest.
The park has all thermal floors ranging from the humid rainforest at 700 m.a.s.l. and ending with the Ritacuba Blanco peak at 5,300 m.a.s.l.
The most important ecosystems are the humid rainforest and tropical lowland savannahs, the Andean dwarf forest and the sub-paramo. The super paramo belt extends between 4,000 and 4,200 m.a.s.l., where frosts are common. The snow zone extends from 4,500 to 5,330 m.a.s.l. approximately.
The park is located in the municipal jurisdictions of Güican, Chita, El Cocuy, El Espino, Chiscas and Cubara in Boyaca, Sacama in Casanare, and Tame and Fortul in Arauca.
The protected area is located in the municipalities of Villa de Leyva, Chiquiza, and Arcabuco. It has ecosystems of Andean vegetation such as sub xerophytic cold-climate scrubland, Andean forest and high Andean forest, and sub-paramo and paramo (dry to sub-humid).Wildlife includes species such as the opossum, bat, Nasuella olivacea, Mountain paca, fox, squirrel, curi, field mouse, armadillos, and shrew, among others. The largest mammals are the Andean white-tailed deer and the soche deer.
On the eastern side of the Eastern Cordillera is located Paez. A municipality that, although it is in Boyaca, has many cultural influences from the foothills of Llano, such as livestock and coffee activities. Products such as long life tomato, Quito orange, blackberry, citrus, sugar cane, banana, pineapple, tangerine, tangelo and Tahiti lime, are part of the primary economy. In the middle of the Lengupa and Upia rivers, the municipality has a wide range of natural attractions of flora, fauna and hydrography.
The Ocensa Paez station is located 13 minutes from the urban center of the municipality, taking the Paez-Sabana Larga road.
Located in the southeast of Boyaca, on the Eastern Cordillera, Miraflores is the most important municipality in the province of Lengupa. It is a mountainous region with four thermal floors: paramo, cold, medium and warm, and with climates that vary between 15 and 32° C.
The municipality is a vast and rich agricultural and livestock pantry. Its lands produce sugar cane, cotton, coffee, corn, cassava, arracacha, lentils, oranges, bananas, avocados, mangoes and papayas.
An operation as extensive as that of our pipeline needs to have a number of bases in some sections to allow line maintenance, right-of-way intervention and timely reaction to a possible emergency.
Given its strategic location in the Eastern Cordillera and in the plateau of Cundiboyan, Soracá, a municipality of just 6,000 inhabitants, with an agricultural tradition and only a 14-minute drive from Tunja, is our base in Boyaca to carry out work and, in case of emergency, access any of the pipeline sites in less than 12 hours.
It is the capital of the department of Boyaca and one of the places with most history of the periods: pre-Hispanic, Hispanic and independence of Colombia. The city has a Historical Center which was declared a national monument in 1959, and where you can admire colonial buildings such as: palaces, convents, churches, sloping streets, and artistic treasures such as paintings, sculptures and ornaments.
This municipality of Boyaca is part of the network of heritage towns in Colombia. Founded in 1572 under the name of Villa de Santa María de Leyva, it is characterized by its colonial architecture and rural landscapes that include paramo areas, water springs and reservoirs, and desert areas. If you visit Boyacá, it is one of the must-see destinations to get closer to the history of the country.
It is the most important river port in the department of Boyaca and most of its territory is located in the valley of the Magdalena River. Its lands are flat and fertile, suitable for dual-purpose cattle (meat and milk). They also produce plantain, cacao, cassava, corn, citrus and papaya. It has four defined ecological areas: the Quinchas reserve, the Paujil reserve, the Palagua Lake and the Cielo roto reserve.
Surrounded by the Magdalena river, artisanal fishing is part of the survival economy of its inhabitants, whose income is relieved by the arrival of the migratory season on the river between december and february of each year.
On december 14th of each year the population holds its anniversary with the Festival de Colonias, a tribute to the settlers who came to the region in the 40's behind the "black gold". 20 minutes from the urban center is our Vasconia station which receives crude oil from the Alto Magdalena Pipeline.
It is a station created with the P-135 project (Volume Increase). It receives crude oil arriving from El Porvenir station and is re-pumped to Miraflores station at 1,500 m.a.s.l. It works with 100% electric equipment and, during operation, it generates a greater increase in transported volumes.
It is considered a booster or re-pumping station that receives crude oil from the El Porvenir or Paez stations and re-pumps it to climb up a slope of up to 3,000 m.a.s.l., over the Eastern Cordillera and arrive at the La Belleza station.
An operation as extensive as that of our pipeline needs to have a number of bases in some sections to allow line maintenance, right-of-way intervention and timely reaction to a possible emergency.
Given its strategic location in the Eastern Cordillera and in the plateau of Cundiboyan, Soracá, a municipality of just 6,000 inhabitants, with an agricultural tradition and only a 14-minute drive from Tunja, is our base in Boyaca to carry out work and, in case of emergency, access any of the pipeline sites in less than 12 hours.
This station is in a strategic location in Magdalena Medio, an area with one of the most important energy hubs in the country. Likewise, it is also the location of many of the most important systems in the crude oil transportation business.