ACP as a source of information
Source: Portafolio – National
Date: December 16
Headline: Record year for Ecopetrol in oil and gas discoveries
In 2019, the Colombian oil company reported seven discoveries, of which six are in national territory and one in the Gulf of Mexico. In terms of discoveries, 2019 will be a year to remember in the hydrocarbon history of Ecopetrol. The reason, for the first time in nearly 70 years of existence, the company reported to the market seven discoveries, a number that for sector analysts is a true record. (…) For his part, Luis Miguel Morelli, president of the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), said that the discoveries reported by Ecopetrol in 2019 will significantly contribute to the reactivation of the hydrocarbon sector in the country. (…) “We must advance with tasks in new basins, and achieve the conditions that allow for offshore development. The country needs to place projects in different baskets, especially during a period of energy diversification in which fossil fuel sources will continue to be decisive,” Francisco José Lloreda, president of the ACP. It was reported in: portafolio.co (December 15).
Source: occidente.co – Regional
Date: December 16
Headline: CorpoValle and El Cairo receive recognition
The National Planning Department (DNP), in partnership with the Universidad del Rosario, awarded for the third time the Well-Invested Royalties Awards dedicated to recognizing the best projects financed with royalties and highlighting the best management in the use of these resources. (…) The evaluation panel of the best entities was made up of diverse representatives, from the national government participated the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), from international organizations attended the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), from civil society participated the Private Council of Competitiveness and from the extractive industry attended the Colombian Petroleum Association.
Source: El País – Regional
Author: Francisco José Lloreda Mera
Date: December 15
Headline: Development and growth
It speaks well of a country and its society that it is not complacent and aspires to improve. This has been and is the case of Colombia, which has progressed amid adversity. There are many problems - and there will always be - but we should not minimize the achievements for that reason. Our country is today a global example in improving its human development. This is not said by a poorly informed optimist, nor by the government, it is said by the United Nations. The Human Development Index, HDI, was created by the United Nations based on a premise: growth should not only be measured by per capita income, which is an important indicator, but by quality of life. It was reported in:elpais.com.co (December 15).
Source: Semana – National
Date: December 14
Headline: Transforming energy
The mining-energy sector is taking steps to connect with communities and their demands for cleaner and more environmentally friendly production. “Climate change is a reality and we must take action to face it.” With this phrase, the Minister of Mines and Energy, María Fernanda Suárez, welcomed attendees to the forum ‘Towards an innovative and sustainable energy transformation’, organized by Foros Semana, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Ecopetrol, Naturgás, the ACP, and Gensa. (…) On the hydrocarbons side, the president of Ecopetrol, Felipe Bayón, and the president of the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP), Francisco Lloreda, assured that Colombia produces gasoline of the best quality with all environmental parameters. They also explained that these fuels should position themselves as a support for unconventional renewable energies. Replied in: semana.com (December 14).
Source: El Colombiano – Regional
Date: December 14
Headline: Drummond violated anti-fracking regulation
The company must suspend activities in 15 wells in Cesar for ignoring fracking regulations. The Council of State ordered the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy to suspend exploration activities in 15 wells of the multinational Drummond, in which, according to the decision, fracking activities that had been suspended in Colombia by the same high court in November 2018 were applied. (…) If the ANH does not comply with the suspension, it must pay a fine of two current legal minimum wages ($1.656.232) for each day of delay, which must be assumed by the Ministry of Mines, led by María Fernanda Suárez. (…) X-ray. What it would generate in income. The Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP), in November of last year, said that the use of fracking in the country would generate income of at least $1.5 trillion annually in Colombia, if this technique were to be implemented, despite environmental risks. Replied in:elcolombiano.com (December 14).
Source: El Frente – Regional
Date: December 14
Headline: Mayors from Santander with oil production met with the Government
Hiring local labor and gender equity, boosting other productive sectors, and social conflict in the regions are among the main concerns of the leaders. (…) The president of the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), Luis Miguel Morelli, who led the meeting, stated that “this is the first approach with the new leaders to offer them support in the development of their management. It is important that they have technical support so that their municipal development plans can be prepared in the shortest time possible and with the best structure.” (…) In the same vein, the Executive President of the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP), Francisco José Lloreda Mera, emphasized “the importance of building an agenda and work plan for the future that allows for concrete support to the new leaders so that they see the industry as an ally for the sustainable development of the regions and to create a new way of relating in the territory based on the generation of trust.”.
Source: las2orillas.co – National
Date: December 14
Headline: The Valle del Cauca guild power celebrated with the governor at Harry’s Bar
The celebration brought together Juan Martín Caicedo from the Colombian Chamber of Infrastructure; Julián Domínguez from Confecámaras; Santiago Castro from Asobancaria; Germán Arce from Asofiduciarias; Augusto Solano from Asocolflores; Francisco Lloreda from the Colombian Petroleum Association and Jaime Alberto Cabal from Fenalco, who toasted with the governor of Valle, Dilian Francisco Toro, who concludes her four years of management with rising favorability. The occasion to gather the powerful regional leadership was the Colombia Líder award given by Revista Semana, which awarded Toro as the best governor of departments in categories 1 and 2 among the eight existing categories.
Source: petroguia.com – National
Date: December 13
Headline: Colombian mayor assures that dialogue can prevent social conflict in oil areas
In the framework of the meeting organized by the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) of Colombia among newly elected leaders from the producing regions, the Government, and representatives of the oil industry, the mayor of Pueblo Nuevo (Córdoba), Fidel Mercado González, assured that the conflicts occurring in communities near oil production areas can be avoided. (…) For his part, the Executive President of the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP), Francisco José Lloreda Mera, emphasized the importance of coordinated work and the support that must be given to the new regional authorities and the trust relationship that must be established between the parties.
Guild
Source: El Espectador
Date: December 16
The payment of the extraordinary dividend will help strengthen the finances of the Duque administration: the Government would receive $3.2 trillion as the majority shareholder of Ecopetrol. The financial health that Ecopetrol presents will allow it to deliver a «Christmas bonus» to the nearly 300,000 minority shareholders of the company, and in turn, it helps the struggling finances of the State, being the majority shareholder. (…) The Colombian oil company has nearly $16 trillion in cash and recorded net profits of $9.2 trillion as of September this year. The reserve did not have to be used even for the closure of the deal in the Permian, the fracking deal that Ecopetrol finalized in the United States with the multinational Oxy. Bayón recalled that in Ecopetrol's investment plan «we are increasing investment by up to 50 %. We are going to invest more money, we are going to have more activity, and we are going to do all of that with our own resources.».
Source: El Informador
Date: December 16
Headline: Drummond participated in the III Business Meeting United States-Colombia
The CEO of Drummond Company, Richard Mullen, and the president of Drummond Ltd. in Colombia, José Miguel Linares, participated in the most recent U.S.-Colombia Business Summit, held in Cartagena. The event, organized by Andi and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, aimed to strengthen cooperation, trade relations, and investment between both countries. In the framework of this summit, Drummond signed the Memorandum of Understanding to support the program “Cacao for Colombia: A Sustainable Initiative.” This multi-actor project seeks to integrate small farmers into the chocolate and cocoa supply chain through social investment. The initiative, driven by Vicki Hollub, president of the U.S.-Colombia Business Council, also has the support of Occidental Petroleum, Citi, and Coca-Cola. The president of the Republic, Iván Duque, received a signed copy of this Memorandum at the meeting.
Source: Vanguardia Liberal
Date: December 15
Headline: UDES wins ‘InnóVate’ 2019 Award with proposal to generate cleaner air
The University of Santander, UDES, won the main distinctions of the ‘InnóVate 2019: Generating Value’ competition, held nationally by Ecopetrol and Unired with the purpose of involving researchers, entrepreneurs, and university students in the technological solution of operational and environmental management problems. The awardees were members of the Research Institute of the Faculty of Engineering of UDES XERIRA. This area comprises the research groups GAIA-GNT and the programs of Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Software Engineering.
Source: El Frente
Date: December 15
Headline: Characterization of families at risk
The Municipal Council for Disaster Risk Management, Cmgrd, of Barrancabermeja, Santander; and Ecopetrol, carried out the characterization of 16 families out of 25 that inhabit the Chupundum village, on the way to the El Llanito corregimiento, as a preventive measure. These people are at risk of a possible landslide, as they are in an area where a pipeline from the oil company passes. This fulfilled the prevention and protection measures for the population living in irregular sectors to safeguard their physical integrity.
Source: El Frente
Date: December 15
Headline: Highlights in innovation and entrepreneurship in digital technology
The initiatives of the professors and a student from the Industrial University of Santander -UIS- were winners in two open innovation challenges, awarded by Ecopetrol and UNIRED. In the regional challenge category, the UIS-Company and KASTEL alliance team won with the solution ‘HYBROV’ Hybrid Controllable, winners of $45,000,000 to finance the realization of the project. This team includes professors from the School of Electrical, Electronic, and Telecommunications Engineering (E3T) Rodolfo Villamizar Mejía, Daniel Alfonso Sierra Bueno, David Alberto Padilla Toloza, and Nelfor Samael Castelblanco Rodríguez.
Source: ovidiohoyos.com
Date: December 15
The President of the Republic, Iván Duque Márquez, assured from Cartagena that Ecopetrol will end 2019 with its highest profits in 5 years. “I want to highlight that the year 2019, even with a couple of weeks left, is the best year for Ecopetrol in the last five years, from the perspective of profits and performance. Second, these good results occur at a time when the company Ecopetrol shows the best results in terms of operational efficiency in many years,” asserted the President after a visit made today to the Cartagena Refinery (Reficar), considered the most modern in Latin America. He then emphasized the investments made by the Ecopetrol Group to increase reserves, production, and ensure the productive sustainability of the company.
Source: Semana
Date: December 14
Headline: Various notes
1) Serafino Lácono, former executive of Pacific Rubiales and CEO of Gran Colombia Gold, will invest 265 million dollars in a gold mine in Marmato, Caldas. 2) According to Forbes magazine, in 2018, George Soros donated 9 million dollars to the Dejusticia foundation, led by Rodrigo Uprimny. 3) The mayor of Medellín asked President Iván Duque for the Ministry of Science and Technology to have its headquarters in the Antioquian capital. 4) This week Bill Gates regained the title of the richest man in the world, with a fortune of 111 billion dollars, surpassing Jeff Bezos, who was left with 109 billion.
Source: Semana
Date: December 14
Headline: «We can expect the reactivation to continue»
The co-director of the Bank of the Republic, José Antonio Ocampo, highlights that several indicators remain in positive territory, but that more work is needed to reduce unemployment and boost exports. (…) On the other hand, we will have two Christmas gifts: the profits of Ecopetrol and those of the Bank of the Republic. But I believe that the concern is related to the additional expenses to finalize some agreements with the strike agents.
Source: Vanguardia Liberal
Date: December 14
Headline: Risk committee visited the Chupundum village
One of the points considered high risk and which the authorities of the Oil Port have been monitoring for a couple of weeks is the Chupundum village, located in a spot on the road that connects Barrancabermeja with the district of El Llanito. (…) According to information provided by the Municipality, the procedure was carried out with Ecopetrol officials, in which the characterization of 16 families was conducted, out of a total of 25 that inhabit this village. “The procedure is carried out as a preventive measure, as these people are at risk of a possible landslide, being in an area where a pipeline of the oil company passes.
Source: El Universal
Date: December 14
Headline: We will continue to strengthen the Refinery: Iván Duque
The president Iván Duque Márquez described 2019 as the best year for Ecopetrol in the last 5 years. After a visit to the Cartagena Refinery, of which the oil company is the owner, the head of state said that Ecopetrol will leave this year with the best results from the perspective of profits and operational performance.
Source: El Meridiano de Córdoba
Date: December 14
Headline: They will hold a security council due to the attack
The governor of Boyacá, Carlos Andrés Amaya, confirmed that there will be a security council in Tunja next Monday to analyze the public order situation in Cubará, following the terrorist attack allegedly carried out by the Eln that left three Army personnel injured. Attendees. Authorities from Arauca, including Governor Ricardo Alvarado and Brigade 18, are expected to be invited to the security council. (…) Leaders from various Boyacense political parties joined in rejecting the attack that occurred while an intercultural table was being held between government delegates, Ecopetrol, and the Uwa communities.
Source: RCN Radio.
Date: December 14
Source: radiosantafe.com
Date: December 14
Headline: Ecopetrol promotes sustainable agribusiness in Meta.
More than 120 producers belonging to 30 associations in the cocoa, coffee, banana, and passion fruit chains, located in 10 municipalities of the Meta department, have been receiving support since 2018 to strengthen their skills and leverage their productive linkages, with the aim of ensuring better conditions and economic opportunities. (…) Through its sustainable development strategy, Ecopetrol joined the sustainable agribusiness model in Meta with an investment amounting to $3.972 million, which is being executed through an alliance with Agrosavia, which in turn is linked with the technical expertise of the Orinoquia Studies Center of the University of the Andes and the regional corporation Corocora.
Source: las2orillas.co
Date: December 14
Headline: Simón Borrero and the founders of Rappi, among the 50 most influential of 2019.
Bloomberg Businessweek includes in its annual list innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders who are changing the global landscape in business, science and technology, politics, and entertainment. The Colombian founders of Rappi, Simón Borrero, Sebastián Mejía, and Felipe Villamarín made it to the list of the 50 most influential people of 2019 compiled annually by the prestigious business magazine Bloomberg Businessweek. (…) Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental Petroleum. Her eleven-hour negotiation secured the acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum for 55 billion dollars.
Source: El Heraldo
Date: December 13
Headline: A car bomb attack leaves three personnel injured in Cubará.
An attack carried out with explosives near the military base located in Cubará, Boyacá, left three soldiers injured. The attack occurred this Thursday when the Deputy Minister of the Interior, Francisco José Chaux, was meeting at an intercultural table being held between the government, Ecopetrol, and U’wa communities and the Political Movement of Social and Popular Masses of Central Eastern Colombia. The official attributed the terrorist attack to members of the Eln guerrilla operating in the area, while the governor of Boyacá, Carlos Amaya, condemned the attack and expressed through his Twitter account that hatred will not intimidate them.
Source: Caracol Radio
Date: December 13
Source: RCN Radio.
Date: December 13
Source: RCN Radio Nariño
Date: December 13
Source: Ecos de Pasto
Date: December 13
Source: Caracol TV
Date: December 13
Source: RCN TV
Date: December 13
Source: RCN TV
Date: December 13
Source: RCN TV
Date: December 13
Source: caracol.com.co
Date: December 13
Headline: Social leaders from Boyacá are calling for peace from the ELN
And it is that social leaders, indigenous people, community movements, and even a high-level government commission witnessed the panic caused by the explosion of a vehicle loaded with 6 tatucos in Cubará, Boyacá, which was initially directed at the nearby military base where a social dialogue was taking place between officials of President Iván Duque's government and the community of the Sarare region that inhabits between Arauca and Boyacá. (…) On the other hand, the leaders who were advancing the social dialogue with the national government, led by the Deputy Minister for Participation and Equality of Rights of the Ministry of the Interior Francisco José Chaux, and with the presence of Ecopetrol and National Parks among other actors at the negotiation table, demanded from the Government of Colombia “greater speed to fulfill their commitments signed on the points agreed upon in this intercultural dialogue table that has already lasted five years and seven months,” concluded Cáceres Sánchez.
Source: radionoticiascasanare.com
Date: December 13
Headline: Equión presented its Green Heritage in the foothills of Casanare.
• A historical tour of environmental management over more than 30 years of operation in Casanare was shared by the company with communities and authorities, inviting them to remain committed to the sustainability of the territory. • Among the environmental milestones, zero hydrocarbon spills impacting the environment for 22 consecutive years, zero discharges into bodies of water, and more than 7,623 hectares conserved stand out. The green footprint that, thanks to joint work, has been left in the foothills of Casanare and nine environmental milestones that demonstrate that it is possible to produce oil and gas in harmony with the environment and communities were presented by Equión Energía at the Green Heritage meeting: past, present, and future, walking alongside communities, local and national authorities, and environmental organizations through the steps of its environmental history.
Source: suversion.com.co
Date: December 13
Headline: Alliance between Parex and the Chamber of Commerce of Casanare for regional competitiveness.
The company Parex Resources, in its continuous interest in contributing to the human and economic development of the Department, carried out, with the support of the Chamber of Commerce of Casanare, the program United to Grow, which aims to develop and strengthen managerial skills that allow for the consolidation over time of solid, dynamic, and sustainable companies in the areas where Parex operates. This Program is framed within the Business Strengthening processes that the Company has to generate spaces for participation and application of knowledge put at the service of its contractors to build a joint vision of sustainable development and regional competitiveness.
Source: millanotv.co
Date: December 13
Headline: Bioagrícola del Llano presents its new gas vehicle fleet.
Seven (07) new compacting vehicles will roll through the streets of Villavicencio starting this week, to join the provision of public domestic cleaning service in the city. The vehicles with a capacity of 14 tons, Scania brand chassis and Fanalca brand compacting boxes, run on natural gas under Euro VI technology, which offers a significant reduction in noise generation and emissions, minimizing environmental impact. (…) The presentation of the new vehicle fleet took place this Thursday, December 12, at a simple event attended by the company's team, representatives from suppliers Scania and Fanalca, and the strategic allies of this initiative such as Llanogas, Ecopetrol, and TGI.
Source: periodicoelconuco.blogspot.com
Date: December 13
Headline: Ecopetrol delivers a new road and remodeled cultural house in San Martín de los Llanos.
Under the Tax Works mechanism, the road in the municipality was paved. The residents of San Martín have better venues to promote the llanero folklore. About 25,000 inhabitants of the municipality of San Martín de los Llanos, in the department of Meta, will benefit from the inauguration of two infrastructure works that will contribute to improving their quality of life and which reflect Ecopetrol's commitment to this important region of the country. This is the first infrastructure project executed in Colombia by Ecopetrol under the Tax Works mechanism, which consisted of paving 438 linear meters in rigid concrete of an urban road, with contributions of $1.688 million from Ecopetrol.
Topics
Source: La República
Date: December 16
Headline: The dollar would remain this week above $3.380 according to analysts.
After several days in which the peso appreciated against the dollar, on Friday the exchange rate had a technical corrective movement and closed higher, as the US currency was quoted at an average price of $3.374,58 and gained $2,35 against the Representative Market Rate (TRM). The closing price was $3.386. (…) “We believe that the valuations recorded in recent days could be diminished as the Colombian peso has already benefited more than its peers. However, the lower levels of volatility both internationally and in the country, the high oil prices, and the weakness that the dollar is showing globally, suggest that the trend will continue,” explained Daniel Felipe Lombana, economic studies analyst at Acción Fiduciaria.
Source: La República
Date: December 16
Headline: Moody’s has an optimistic view of the oil industry for next year.
Moody’s Investors Service has an optimistic outlook for the oil and gas industry for next year, despite volatile energy prices hitting the sector and adding to a mountain of debt. The various sectors of the industry have stable or positive outlooks for the new year, said Moody’s in a report. Earnings are expected to recover amid production growth and higher refining margins, according to the agency.
Source: Portafolio
Date: December 16
Headline: Formula for development?
After eight debates in the Congress of the Republic, last week the reform to the General System of Royalties was approved. This legislative act substantially increases the amount allocated to producing areas, as well as resources to the poorest municipalities. Royalties are the payments that mining and hydrocarbon companies make to the Colombian state for the exploitation of non-renewable natural resources. While these underground resources belong to the entire Nation, it is the producing municipalities that receive the greatest impact from these extraction activities. It is therefore a constitutional matter to define the allocation of these millionaire resources and where to invest them and which areas to allocate them to. The challenge has always been how to balance the fair share of the producing regions, which experience the environmental, social, and economic impacts of mining and oil, with the great needs of the rest of the national territory and with the necessary savings for the general finances of the State.
Source: Portafolio
Date: December 16
Headline: The U.S. and Spain lead in FDI flows to Colombia.
As has been happening in recent years, the flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) arriving in Colombia are led by capital from the United States and Spain. According to data from the Bank of the Republic, these nations contributed US$2.132 million and US$1.868 million, respectively, as of last September. (…) Meanwhile, by sectors, Banrepública reported that the two sectors that contributed the most to FDI between January and September were financial and business services, followed by the oil sector. Together, these two accounted for nearly 50% (US$4.914 million) of all FDI up to the ninth month of the year.
Source: El Nuevo Siglo
Date: December 16
Headline: The advance of autocracies. By Mauricio Botero Montoya.
Economist Paul Krugman recounts how the respected U.S. atmospheric and oceanographic administration fabricated a story that a hurricane would hit Alabama, in order not to contradict that blunder predicted by President Trump. In other words, it pulled the chestnuts out of the fire. Thus, that institution, until then irreproachable for its precision and not for flattery, self-immolated. Technocrats can also be servile, and as Montalvo said, titles do not shorten ears. Sometimes the opposite occurs. When Ronald Reagan was running for president, he was careful not to upset the coal and oil sectors, no matter how polluting they were. When a persistent journalist asked him who was responsible for the pollution, the startled Hollywood actor said: “the trees.”.
Source: Vanguardia Liberal
Date: December 16
Headline: ECA. By: Sergio Arenas.
According to the World Bank, Latin America is the region that recycles the least in the world, and in Colombia, where people march to demand that there be no more exploitation of natural resources and shout out against mining and oil multinationals, according to the Ministry of Environment, only 17% is recycled compared to countries like Sweden, Austria, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, which recycle more than 50% of the waste they produce, and there is Switzerland that recycles 100%.
Source: El Nuevo Siglo
Date: December 15
Headline: Major pending issues for the high courts in 2020
Matters such as the investigation into former president Uribe for alleged witness tampering or the lawsuit that suspended two regulations allowing fracking must wait for the holidays of the Branch. (…) At the beginning of next year, the Council of State must rule on the lawsuit that has halted the implementation of fracking in Colombia, (…) Ecopetrol and the multinationals are waiting for the Council of State to clarify this lawsuit because lifting the suspension on these regulations could allow them to implement fracking, with the expectation of obtaining great returns in the exploitation of oil and gas.
Source: El Nuevo Siglo
Date: December 15
Headline: A great project for Colombia. By: Alberto Abello
Many people believe that a change in the country's development policy is necessary. It is not possible and it is absurd that of the 70 percent of our geography in the periphery of the country, the only crops that survive are illegal. (…) President Duque has precious information about the strategic minerals we have in the perimeter of the country. His Antioquian ancestors expanded the areas of cultivation in our territory, and this would very likely happen again, but it should also be noted that in that peripheral area we have gold, oil, gas, and a gigantic fortune yet to be exploited.
Source: El Mundo
Date: December 15
Headline: Between the politics of love and the environmentalist crusade. By: Pablo Pinto Brun
We live in times where polarizing and pointing out those who think differently becomes the strategy to build electoral capital. Between the politics of love and the environmentalist crusade, this country is increasingly divided, polarized, and filled with hatred. They attack legal industries and put the development of our country at risk; what awaits us? (…) They present themselves on social media and in the media without any responsibility or technical rigor, opposing mining, oil, and infrastructure projects that seek to generate development in the country. The curious thing is that they do not hold marches or any type of demonstration rejecting terrorist attacks, like the one we saw a few weeks ago with another explosion of the Caño Limón Coveñas pipeline. Perhaps they ignore it for convenience and remain silent shamelessly.
Source: El Universal
Date: December 15
Headline: Cartagena Refinery. The Fuel for a Better Tomorrow
People who visit and know the Cartagena Refinery express pride, especially if they are from the city. And it is no less, it is the most important infrastructure project in the country in recent years, which introduced Colombia to the era of modern and safe refining. It is the most important manufacturing industry in the Caribbean region, generating growth and well-being for both the people of Cartagena and the country.
Source: El Espectador
Date: December 14
Headline: Operations of 15 gas wells of Drummond suspended
In November 2018, the Council of State suspended the regulations governing the use of fracking for oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the country in unconventional deposits, while advancing in the study of a lawsuit.
Source: La República
Date: December 14
Headline: Drummond's decision puts US$5.000 billion annual investments in jeopardy
The disobedience of the order to halt exploration and exploitation of unconventional deposits by Drummond led the Council of State to suspend the company's operation in 15 wells located in its mine in Cesar. For experts, this decision jeopardizes several projects seeking to develop in the country that would have investments of US$5.000 billion annually once they reach the production stage. (…) Regarding the decision, Carlos Leal, president of the board of Acipet, stated that this affects the country as not developing the pilots (Drummond was leading one of the four being advanced) is wasting “the potential of unconventional deposits, YNC, in Colombia which is 31.7 trillion cubic feet of gas and 2,400 to 7,000 million barrels of crude that would help increase gas reserves from 9.4 years to over 20 years, and crude reserves would rise from 6.3 years to between eight to 15 years.”.
Source: Semana
Date: December 14
Headline: A bleak outlook
Due to the slowdown of the global economy and the growth of production in the United States, oil prices were below those of 2018. However, factors such as lower production from Venezuela and Iran, terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia, and, above all, the success of the OPEC and Russia cutback program allowed for some stabilization. During 2019, the price of Brent crude averaged 65 dollars per barrel.
Source: Semana
Date: December 14
Headline: How did analysts' projections fare in 2019?
The consensus among analysts was correct in predicting a moderate recovery of the Colombian economy with growth around 3.2 percent in 2019, contrary to those forecasting a global slowdown. They also accurately predicted that inflation would be controlled upward, and for this reason, there would be an environment of low interest rates that ultimately favored the dynamics of internal demand. Finally, they were correct that oil prices would be around 60 dollars per barrel.
Source: El Informador
Date: December 14
Headline: Four captured with smuggled fuel
An operation conducted by personnel assigned to the Fiscal and Customs Police allowed for the capture of four men and the seizure of a significant amount of smuggled fuel. The operation was carried out in a parking lot located in the sectors of the Once de Noviembre neighborhood where the units arrived to carry out the procedure. Data provided by Major Wilfredo Orjuela, head of this unit, indicates that two of the detainees had criminal records for the crimes of conspiracy to commit a crime and receiving stolen goods.
Source: El Nuevo Liberal
Date: December 14
Headline: The ‘fracking’, redemption or ecocide? By: Fernando Santacruz Caicedo
“Fracking” is a technique that subjects the subsoil to extreme tension to break rocks and extract gas and oil, contained in small dispersed concentrations of hydrocarbons. It is also known as “hydraulic stimulation or fracturing.” The procedure vertically drills -5 Km- into the earth's crust until it finds “shale gas”; then, it drills horizontally covering and breaking as much rock as possible -shale or slate; finally, it pumps water mixed with dissolved chemicals at very high pressure that fracture the rocky substrate, filtering the fuel to the surface.
Source: La W Radio
Date: December 14
Source: prensalibrecasanare.com
Date: December 14
Headline: We have royalties: the reform is a reality
The reconciliation of royalties was approved this week without setbacks in the Plenary Sessions of the House and Senate, except for the opposition from the Representative of the Green Alliance Inti Raúl Asprilla to discuss this reconciliation before the political control debate of the opposition on the ESMAD, arguing that this debate was more important because it is a constitutional fundamental right, (…) in the sense that the day before the benches agreed to vote on the reconciliation first, which led Asprilla to finally yield to modify the agenda, although no one understands why the legislator and also proponent of this royalties project insisted so much on not allowing the reconciliation to be discussed first, when the approval of a reconciliation generally does not take more than half an hour, which in no way jeopardized the aforementioned political control debate.
Institutional
Source: La República
Date: December 16
Headline: Support for the countryside, a concern that is increasing the most
Nine years ago, precisely since another impactful strike, the agrarian one of 2013 that former president Juan Manuel Santos had to navigate, Colombians were not as pessimistic as they are today. (…) María Fernanda Suárez, Minister of Mines and Energy. The reform to the royalties was approved with which resources for municipalities will be increased. In addition, the first auction of non-conventional renewable energy sources was held and progress was made in the regulation for fracking pilots. However, in the mining sector, they criticize its absence, in addition to the delays in the sale of Electricaribe.
Source: RCN Radio
Date: December 16
Source: Vanguardia Liberal
Date: December 15
Headline: The economy of Santander continues to grow
According to data from the Monthly Economic Activity Indicator, from the Bank of the Republic, in the third quarter of 2019, Santander grew in the sectors: agriculture, industry, commerce, and tourism. The economy in Santander maintains its acceleration cycle. According to the Monthly Economic Activity Indicator, Imae, from the Bank of the Republic, for the third quarter of 2019, the economy of the Nororiente region, made up of the departments of Santander, Arauca, Boyacá, and Norte de Santander, recorded a growth of 3.41% compared to the same period in 2018. (…) Hydrocarbons. The Imae showed that the region reached an average of 146 thousand barrels per day, which represented a lower performance compared to the previous year (-1.61%), according to figures published by the National Hydrocarbons Agency, ANH, which represents the lowest production level since early 2018. Despite the negative annual variation recorded in Santander, the department consolidated itself as the leader in this activity in the region, averaging 59.4 thousand bpd in the period from July to September 2019.
Source: La Opinión
Date: December 15
Headline: ‘Fracking‘: operation of 15 Drummond wells suspended
The Council of State suspended the operation of the Drummond company in 15 wells in Cesar, because it allegedly failed to comply with the suspension of the regulations governing fracking in the country. (…) In this case, the decision of the high court ordered the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) to suspend the production activity of Drummond's wells within a maximum period of three months; if this order is not complied with, there will be fines for each day of delay. This fine must be paid by the Ministry of Mines, headed by María Fernanda Suárez. According to the ruling, this period begins to take effect once the decision is final, as the company or the government can file an appeal to revoke it.
Source: Diario del Sur
Date: December 15
Headline: Domestic gas project approved
Officials from the Potosí municipal administration informed the public about the domestic gas installation project that will benefit families in the urban area. (…) Mayor Jairo Chamorro stated that the domestic gas implementation project was approved by the Ministry of Mines and Energy through resolution 40736 of September 2019, at a cost of 1.2 billion pesos. The project will benefit 586 users as the installation of networks progresses with an extension of approximately 12 kilometers with a storage tank of 4 thousand gallons.
Source: El Tiempo
Date: December 14
Headline: ‘Drummond violated the prohibition on fracking’: C. de Estado
Within a maximum of three months, under penalty of economic sanctions, the Ministry of Mines and the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) must ensure that all methane gas production activity in 15 wells of the multinational Drummond in Cesar is suspended. This follows the determination by the Third Section of the Council of State that there was a disobedience by that company to the suspension order that has been in place since November 2018 regarding the regulations governing fracking, that is, the technique used for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in unconventional deposits in the country –Decree 3004 of December 26, 2013, and Resolution 90341 of March 27, 2014–.
Source: La República
Date: December 14
Headline: Regasification, transportation of natural gas, and outlier. By: Hemberth Suárez Lozano
Pacific regasification terminal, new rules for the marketing of natural gas transportation capacity and criteria for compensating the activity of gas distribution through pipeline networks, are three recent topics in Colombia and below, some of the most relevant aspects about each of them. (…) The third point relates to an action that Creg is voluntarily undertaking to determine the existence of serious calculation errors that unjustly harm the interests of users or gas distribution companies in Colombia.
Source: Portafolio
Date: December 14
Headline: Gas: ruling halts Drummond's production in La Loma (Cesar)
The production of methane gas associated with coal seams in 15 wells that the multinational Drummond was developing in the La Loma field (Cesar) was abruptly suspended by the Council of State. The reason, according to the contentious court, is that the production of this «methane gas associated with coal seams is included within the concept of unconventional deposits (YNC).» In its ruling on a contempt incident, the Council of State ordered the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) to suspend this operation and grants a period of three months for the total cessation of extraction. «Once that term has expired, successive fines will be imposed for each day of delay in the amount of two (2) current legal monthly minimum wages (Smmlv) to be borne by the MME, in charge of the head of the portfolio or whoever acts in their place, without exceeding fifty (50) Smmlv,» states the ruling.
Source: Semana
Date: December 14
Headline: This is how the economy will move
Everything indicates that next year's growth could come from the expected dynamics in sectors such as oil, civil works, agro-industry, construction, and what will drive these activities? (…) Oil. One million barrels. Everything indicates that oil exploration activity will receive a boost in 2020. The National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) has been very active with its new area allocation mechanism. This year, 26 areas out of the 70 offered were assigned, demonstrating great interest in investing in Colombia and ensuring a significant level of resources. Only in the second allocation, which was progressing at the beginning of December, there were 17 projects with investment promises of 500 million dollars. This second round would close at the end of 2019 and the projects would start in 2020.
Source: El Frente
Date: December 13
Headline: Document passed to presidential sanction
Photo. Royalties are the payments made by oil and mining companies to the State for the exploitation of non-renewable natural resources. The plenary sessions of the Senate and Chamber approved the reconciliation, that is, the changes discussed in the Legislature last week, of the bill to reform the General System of Royalties, which means that the text goes to the Presidency of the Republic to receive the approval of Iván Duque and undergo the publication process. (…) For its part, regional investment remains at 34 % for projects with criteria of population, poverty, and unemployment, and resources for peace remain at 7 %. “These funds will be distributed differently thanks to a series of elements that have allowed us to increase the benefit to all these municipalities,” said the Minister of Mines and Energy, María Fernanda Suárez.
Source: larepublica.co
Date: December 13
Headline: Meeting the renewable goal will require investments of US$1.800 million: Carlos Leal
At the Renewable Energies forum, applied to the hydrocarbons sector, held by the Colombian Association of Petroleum Engineers (Acipet), the president of the board of the guild, Carlos Leal, gave his outlook on what is coming in terms of renewable energies for the country, the challenges, and the jobs that could be generated. (…) As the Ministry of Mines and Energy has stated, the country is known for having the sixth cleanest energy matrix in the world, as 70% ’of our electricity comes from hydroelectric generation, and being one of the countries that emits the least CO2, it is also one of the twenty countries most vulnerable to climate change.« (…) In this regard, he confirmed that regions such as La Guajira or the Llanos are the scenarios for such generating sources. »We are aware that one source for financing this type of energy is generated by the hydrocarbons sector,« he concluded.
Source: sostenibilidad.semana.com
Date: December 13
Headline: Drummond must suspend operations in 15 gas wells in Cesar
The Council of State ordered the National Hydrocarbons Agency to stop the activities of the Caporo Norte project within a maximum period of three months, considering that the multinational failed to comply with the suspension of the regulations governing fracking. The 15 gas wells associated with coal seams that are part of the project called Campo La Loma, between Chiriguaná and La Jagua, in Cesar, must cease production. The decision of the Council of State comes in response to a contempt incident for the alleged non-compliance with the precautionary measure decreed by the order of November 8, 2018, which was presented by the Podion Corporation and the Colombia Free of Fracking Alliance. (…) The third section of the Administrative Litigation Chamber ordered the National Hydrocarbons Agency to suspend all production activities of the 15 wells and for the Ministry of Mines to lead this process within a maximum period of three months.
Source: paisminero.com
Date: December 13
Headline: ANH estimates to contribute $1 trillion to the nation in 2020; relies on offshore discovery
During the accountability report of the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), the president of the entity, Luis Miguel Morelli, highlighted the good results and work that the ANH has done this year. “In 2019 we will close with 31 exploration and production contracts already signed. We are back in the business and the hydrocarbon industry. We need to go for more, bring more investment, that it be successful and that it be reflected,” said Morelli. He indicated that in 2020 the ANH will go for more and projects that the revenues it will transfer to the Nation will be $1 trillion. “We want to increase revenues from economic rights and financial returns for 2020; we can reach revenues of $1 trillion or even more than $1 trillion. This year we expect revenues of $800 billion, and if we exceed one trillion pesos, it would be a historic figure,” said Morelli.
Source: las2orillas.co
Date: December 13
Headline: Blow to Drummond for doing fracking on the side
The Council of State ordered Drummond to suspend the work they are doing in the department of Cesar, where they currently exploit 15 unconventional gas wells. The Colombia Free of Fracking Alliance and the Podion Corporation filed a contempt action as they considered that the American multinational is failing to comply with the order of the high court that in 2018 suspended the regulations governing fracking in Colombia. The Council of State agreed with them and gave a maximum period of three months to both Drummond and the Minister of Mines, María Fernanda Suárez, to put a stop to the exploitation of the wells that has been ongoing for two years.
Colombian Association of Oil and Gas