Daily news report November 21, 2019
ACP as a source of information
Source: eluniversal.com – International
Date: November 21
Headline: Increase in Colombian crude oil sales to Citgo
Colombian oil supplies to Citgo, the Pdvsa subsidiary in the United States, reached an average of 48,666 barrels per day in the last eight months. This was reflected in the statistics from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), which indicate that up to the second quarter of 2019, that volume represents a peak in sales from that country to the subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (…) For his part, the executive president of the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP), Francisco Lloreda, stated during the second Oil and Gas Summit held in Bogotá that “they will continue working with Venezuela, due to the good results presented by the hydrocarbons sector.” He indicated that support has been total with private and transnational companies, but an important factor is that in recent decades “we have benefited from the collapse of the Venezuelan oil sector,” Lloreda emphasized.
Source: La W Radio – National
Date: November 20
Source: qradio.com.co – Regional
Date: November 20
Headline: Chocó failed in the ‘Well Invested Royalties’ award’
A total of 228 projects financed with royalty resources amounting to $2 billion were submitted by mayors, governors, and other executors for the third version of the ‘Well Invested Royalties’ award, of which 75 initiatives were pre-selected in 26 departments for $811 million. (…) The evaluation panel of the best entities was made up of representatives from International Organizations with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and from Civil Society with the Private Competitiveness Council, the Alpina Foundation, the University of Rosario, and the Extractive Industry with the Colombian Petroleum Association.
Source: entornointeligente.com – National
Date: November 21
Headline: II Summit on Oil and Gas (I)
(…) The II Summit on Oil and Gas brought together nearly 4000 professional participants linked to the industry under the slogan Opportunities, international business roundtable, and challenges of the new energy revolution. (…) The President of the ANH Morelli highlighted in his presentation, called Strategy for Conventional Exploratory Reactivation in Colombia, the objectives that seek to incentivize the sector and continue the search for new prospects in the country through the modality of auctions and a process of permanent allocation of areas to exploration companies interested in our country in seeking new prospects. The next auction will be held on November 26. Francisco Lloreda Mera, President of the ACP, highlighted the current processes of contract allocation and procedures, which have taken an average of seven years to be assigned. And he urged the President of the Republic to work on procedures that should be much shorter to obtain benefits in less time.
Hydrocarbons Sector
Source: La República
Date: November 21
Headline: Playing with fire. By: Andrés Otero Leongómez
A recent publication from the Financial Times shows that the Colombian economy is rebounding well above the average for Latin America and investor confidence is increasing, unlike what most countries in the region are experiencing. But despite the encouraging figures, the perception and sentiment among the population is ‘the glass is half empty’. (…) Financial centers consider us a viable country with great investment opportunities. Our responsible ruling class, with a high degree of austerity and fiscal responsibility, supports entrepreneurship and innovation, and diversifies the economy away from the historical dependence on oil and commodities.
Source: El Nuevo Siglo
Date: November 21
Headline: Social protest and democracy. By: Jaime Alberto Arrubla Paucar
The democratic state implies rights for citizens of very diverse nature, including the right to express themselves for or against the public policies of the current government; but the citizen also has obligations, such as acting in good faith in all their public or private actions and not infringing on the freedom of other citizens or on public or private property. (…) The protests announced for this Thursday have a rather exotic foundation, as they seem more preventive for what has not happened and may not happen, than complaints about government actions and policies. Protests are against state privatizations that have not occurred and it is unknown if they will happen, such as the case of part of Ecopetrol; lack of investment in education; because a labor reform is proposed that includes a salary below the minimum for young people, which was an idea put forward by a union, which was immediately disapproved by the Government.
Source: El Nuevo Siglo
Date: November 21
Headline: Today, national strike amid calls for calm
Amid strong security measures, today the country is called to a large national strike that seeks to demand from the national Government a series of measures contained in a diverse list of demands (…) The mobilization is also based on the belief of its promoters that the Government would be seeking to privatize Ecopetrol, ISA, Cenit, regional electric companies “and all companies where state participation is less than 50%.” They are also mobilizing against the new auction of the radio spectrum being developed by the national Executive.
Source: El Nuevo Siglo
Date: November 21
Headline: Consumption tax would leave a gap of 1.7 trillion by the end of the year
Despite the increase in tax collection with 6% between January and October of this year compared to the same period last year, the consumption tax item could leave a gap of $1.7 billion by the end of 2019. According to a report from Value and Risk, it was observed that as of June 2019, income tax collection grew year-on-year by 19.6%, a figure higher than the expected increase for the year (12.5%), so it could be considered that this point of the Financing Law seems to be working. (…) For 2019, the Government expected that the reduction in the tax burden on companies and the lower collection from the oil sector would be compensated by economic growth and higher marginal rates in the income tax for individuals.
Source: Boyacá 7 Días
Date: November 21
Headline: Environmental strike. By: Germán García Barrera
Several environmental groups announced their presence at the national strike to protest against deforestation, fracking, and shark fishing. They will also march to demand the protection of the páramos and glaciers, and in defense of the integrity of social leaders who advocate for the well-being of natural resources, oppose the development of extractive projects, and intercede for respect for the sustainable economic vocations of the territories.
Source: Vanguardia Liberal
Date: November 21
Headline: Assessing environmental damage after oil spills
Despite Ecopetrol reporting that the lines attacked in the last two weeks are inactive, the residue has reached streams that flow into the Paredes swamp. The state oil company rejects the actions, and the community is assessing the consequences. Rejection and concern have been generated by the most recent attacks on oil infrastructure in the region, specifically in the rural area of Puerto Wilches, not only due to the losses this represents for Ecopetrol but also because of the environmental damage caused by the situation, which directly affects the communities in the sector. (…) “It is not possible that in the course of November, four thefts against our oil infrastructure have already been recorded, which are generating risks to the integrity of people and to the water resource,” said Francisco Ruiz, manager of Río Ecopetrol.
Source: Vanguardia Liberal
Date: November 21
Headline: Alliance
The ANH, the Agency for Territorial Renewal, the National Land Agency, and the Presidential Council for Stabilization and Consolidation formed an inter-institutional alliance for the implementation of Territorial Development Programs in regions with hydrocarbon activity.
Source: La Opinión
Date: November 20
Headline: Water supply and sewage service in Cúcuta must be regionalized
To make the implementation of the metropolitan aqueduct Francisco de Paula Santander in Cúcuta a reality, the Deputy Minister of Water and Basic Sanitation, José Luis Acero, presented yesterday the process of contracting a specialized consultancy. From Bogotá, the official called on consultants to help establish the route that allows for the consolidation of the regional operation of the metropolitan area of Cúcuta, beyond the supply infrastructure. (…) The work is being constructed in conjunction with the Government of Norte de Santander and Ecopetrol, with resources from the Ministry of Housing ($384.000 million pesos). In addition, he confirmed that on December 6, projects 3 and 4 will be awarded, which will allow the aqueduct to be functional.
Regional News
Source: prensalibrecasanare.com
Date: November 21
Headline: In January, the adaptation of the road to Orocué financed with $33 billion in royalties must be ready.
By January 9, 2020, the contractor for the adaptation of the road to Orocué must deliver the work, affirmed the Deputy Comptroller for Royalties, Cristian Camilo López, at the «Compromiso Colombia» event monitoring works financed with royalties in Casanare, noting that they will assist the process to observe the quality and full compliance of the contract. The work amounts to 33 billion, and the mayor of Orocué, Anderson Bernal, committed during his speech to manage an additional 11 billion pesos before OCAD and the Government of Casanare, which are needed to complement the work with an asphalt layer.
Source: prensalibrecasanare.com
Date: November 21
Headline: Inter-institutional alliance to implement development programs in oil regions.
The National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), the Territorial Renewal Agency (ART), the National Land Agency (ANT), and the Presidential Council for Stabilization and Consolidation signed a letter of understanding with the aim of working together in the implementation of the Territorial Focused Development Programs (PDET) in regions with hydrocarbon activity. The coordination between institutional actors, and the commitment of the operators to be actors in the sustainable development of these territories, which were the most affected by armed conflict, poverty, illicit economies, and institutional weakness, promises good developments because the industry has a presence in 123 municipalities out of the 170 prioritized in the 16 PDET subregions.
Source: La W Radio
Date: November 20
Source: Violeta Estéreo.
Date: November 20
Source: millanotv.co
Date: November 20
Headline: Sowing Life My Llano TV.
Close to 150,000 seedlings of cocoa and plantain, as well as 60,000 native trees planted in 130 hectares in the municipalities of Tauramena, Aguazul, and Maní, is the tangible result presented by engineer Martha Jhoven Plazas Roa, General Director of Corporinoquia, during the closing event of the agroforestry project: Sowing Life. (…) “This project was a dream and is a great achievement. For 4 or 5 years I knocked on Anla's doors, showcasing this project, generating that credibility, today it is a reality and because of that reality, the doors opened to invest 1% from oil companies like Ecopetrol and Parex; and of course to continue investing, which means that Casanare in 5 years is projected to be the department with the highest cocoa production in the country,” stated Martha Jhoven Plazas Roa, General Director of Corporinoquia during the closing ceremony of the project.
Source: prensalibrecasanare.com
Date: November 20
Headline: Farmers participate in a forest conservation project of the oil industry.
During a community meeting with farming families who have signed voluntary conservation agreements with Equión, an event that also included local authorities and environmental organizations, the company highlighted the commitment of the community, the landowners, and all the actors who have contributed to conservation in areas neighboring its operation. “Thank you because together we have made it possible to conserve more than 1,700 hectares of forest in the Casanare foothills through the signing of voluntary conservation agreements, in more than 17 micro-basins of the Cravo Sur and Charte rivers,” stated Edgar Pérez, leader of Environmental Management, Control, and Compliance at Equión.
Source: suversion.com.co
Date: November 20
Headline: Indexed journal of the National University accepts scientific article from Unitrópico students
A scientific article written by two Environmental Biology students from Unitrópico, carried out as a degree work modality, was accepted in the indexed Q3 journal called Acta Biológica Colombiana of the National University. The publication titled “Predation by insects on nests and protected neonates of podocnemis vogli in floodable savannas of Casanare,” emerged from the project carried out over 3 years in the La Esperanza de Paz natural reserve of Ariporo, in collaboration between the Research Directorate of Unitrópico and Parex Resources, which delivered among its products the book “The Sabanero Tortoise, studies in search of its conservation.”.
Source: laschivasdelllano.com
Date: November 20
Headline: $30 billion, Ecopetrol's contributions to the sustainable development of Casanare
The investments are framed in the areas of Education, Sports and Health, Public and Community Infrastructure, and Public Services and environmental investment. In the last five years, Ecopetrol made contributions of more than $30 billion in social and environmental projects for the benefit of the Casanare population, especially in the municipalities of Aguazul, Tauramena, and Yopal, where its main operations are concentrated. (…) “The investment figure of the last five years is the result of the coordinated work of Ecopetrol with different institutions and the Casanare community. The Company continues to work rigorously on the formulation of projects and structuring contractual vehicles that allow it to continue contributing to the sustainable development of the territories in these and other investment areas such as Entrepreneurship and Business Development and Inclusive Rural Development,” stated Alexander Álvarez Contreras, leader of the Casanare Environment at Ecopetrol.
Source: millanotv.co
Date: November 20
Headline: Oil workers and Unillanos will march this Thursday
At the same time, the president of USO Meta, Rafael Rincón, called on oil workers to march accompanied by their families against the «Iván Duque package.» «Let’s multiply ourselves and make the national day of protest against the measures of the Uribe government and the reform package of Iván Duque a large one. Let’s all support the just protest,» indicated the Union Leader, Rincón. In addition to the two march points that will be in the capital of Meta, members of USO Meta will mobilize in two more locations, the Pompeya sector in the rural area of Villavicencio where the Apiay management of Ecopetrol is located and at the crossing point of Vaqueros in the municipality of Acacías, where it is expected to gather workers from the oil circuit of Castilla La Nueva, Guamal, and Acacías.
Colombian Association of Oil and Gas