Colombia’s oil output reached 955,000 barrels a day in April, the largest yield this year, the Ministry of Mines and Energy announced Tuesday.
Production in April was up an average 4000 barrels a day from the 950,939 barrels a day in March, aiding the country’s push towards a target of 1 million barrels a day.
The output marked a 5.4% rise compared with April 2011.
Colombia’s oil yield has continued to break records through 2011 and 2012, spurred by increasing foreign investment. April’s average represents a 23% growth from yearly average production in 2009, which stood at 775,000 barrels a day.
In May state oil company Ecopetrol announced profits were up 28% in April at $2.4 billion compared to 2011.
Last week Minister Mauricio Cardenas aggressively sought Chinese investment in Colombian oil production during a state visit to China, where he met with officials from China’s largest oil company, China Petroleum Company (CNPC).
Cardenas said CNPC expressed interest in cooperating on the proposed Venezuela–Colombia pipeline and other oil exploration and production opportunities.
