The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the biodegradation of diesel bilge water using a microbial consortium native to the region of Cordoba, Colombia. Bacteria were isolated from a natural petroleum source, using mineral minimal (0.5 g/L KH2PO4; 1.4 g/L Na2HPO4; 0.6 g/L NH4NO3; 0.1 MgSO4·7H2O; 0.02 g/L CaCl2·2H2O; 0.03 g/L MnSO4·H2O; pH adjusted to 7.0) under conditions of bacterial growth (pH 7.0, 28 ± 2° C and shaking at 150 rpm). Microorganisms were tested for contaminant tolerance using different concentration of diesel bilge water: 3.0, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 12.5 and 15 %. Subsequently, a bioassay was performed in microcosms for 28 days to assess the biodegradation of diesel linters water to the highest concentration water tolerance found, i.e., 7.5 %. The bacterial consortium was grown up to 106 c.f.u./mL, the ratio of carbon/nitrogen adjusted to 100/5 and the biodegradation products were determined by gas chromatography, at the beginning and the end of the assay. There was found that some components were completely degraded (1-Himidazol-4-carbazamida), others around 70 % (1, 2, 3-triazol 4carbohidrazida) and the rest at smaller rates. Among the species isolated with standard procedures and identified with the API 20 NE and API 20 E commercial kits were: Achromobacter denitrificans, Sphingomonas paucimobilis and Pseudomonas putida. Rhizobium radiobacter was also reported, as a new contribution to the list of bacterial species displaying biorremediation capacity.