Colombia's state-controlled oil company Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL; NYSE: EC) announced on July 1, 2026, that the National Government has formally recognized and ordered payment of 100 percent of the outstanding FEPC account receivable balance owed to the company for the second quarter of 2025. The authorization came through Resolution 1492, dated June 30, 2026, issued by Colombia's Ministry of Finance and Public Credit.
What the FEPC Is and Why It Matters
The FEPC — Fondo de Estabilización de Precios de los Combustibles, or Fuel Price Stabilization Fund — is a Colombian government mechanism that compensates fuel producers and importers when regulated domestic pump prices fall below international market prices. In practical terms, when Ecopetrol sells fuel inside Colombia at a government-mandated price lower than what it costs to produce or import, the FEPC is supposed to make up the difference. The account receivable represents money the government owes Ecopetrol for absorbing that gap on the state's behalf.
The Commercial Stakes
For Ecopetrol, FEPC receivables are not a minor line item — they represent real cash that has already been spent on production and distribution but not yet collected. Full settlement of a quarterly balance clears that outstanding claim from the company's books, improving the cash position that Ecopetrol uses to fund operations, service debt, and pay dividends to shareholders, including the Colombian government itself, which holds a majority stake in the company.
The Resolution
Resolution 1492, signed on June 30, 2026, by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, is the legal instrument that triggers the payment. By issuing the resolution, the ministry formally acknowledged the full Q2 2025 balance and directed its settlement. Ecopetrol's Bogotá-based management announced receipt of the resolution the following day.
The settlement covers the entirety of the second-quarter 2025 FEPC balance, meaning no portion of that period's receivable remains outstanding following this action.