ACP as a source of information
Guild
Source: El Universal
Date: January 06
Headline: «We must seek the participation of everyone and not get stuck in sectarianism»
2019 was, so far, the year that tested the pulse of President Iván Duque. The series of protests, led by millions of Colombians demanding grievances that not only come from the past but are almost impossible to solve in the short term, marked a turning point in Duque's government. (…) Today we have more than 10,000 proposals sent through the platform we made available to the public, in addition to those we have received in person in different cities. When one looks at the list of more than 120 requests from the Committee, one realizes that many of the requests already have clear government actions, and there are others where we can work together; but unfortunately, there are also requests that are impossible to fulfill. For example, the expropriation of the small shareholders of Ecopetrol, which would cost more than 15 trillion pesos, or the total nationalization of the health system.
Source: El Espectador
Date: January 07
Headline: The witnesses against the executives of Drummond
Six executives of the multinational are being investigated for aggravated homicide and conspiracy to commit a crime. These are the testimonies that the Prosecutor's Office has against them to decide whether to call them to trial. They declare themselves innocent. Six executives of the multinational are being investigated for aggravated homicide and conspiracy to commit a crime. These are the testimonies that the Prosecutor's Office has against them to decide whether to call them to trial. They declare themselves innocent. The final stretch of 2019 was difficult for the multinational Drummond in the judicial arena. A few days ago, the Council of State indicated that the company was not adhering to the guidelines issued regarding unconventional hydrocarbon deposits. According to that corporation, the Canadian company continued extracting gas from fifteen wells of the Caporo Norte project, called Campo La Loma, located between Chiriguaná and La Jagua (Cesar), considered unconventional deposits where activities were suspended a year ago.
Source: El Nuevo Siglo
Date: January 07
Headline: Four mega-innovations from the tech show
Innovation hides in the details. Some objects barely surpassed the prototype phase, but managed to stand out at the preview of the world's largest consumer technology event, which takes place from today until Friday in Las Vegas. (…) 3. Wireless electricity. The American company Teratonix proposes generating electricity from electromagnetic waves to supply power to domestic or urban sensors, which are multiplying in this era of the Internet of Things. (…) “We had that idea ten years ago, published our research five years ago, and registered a patent last year,” says Johnny Huang, the co-founder of Teratonix. “Now we are conducting a test with (the oil company) Shell.”.
Source: La Libertad
Date: January 07
Headline: Oh surprise! – By: Amylkar Acosta M.
Only four days had passed since the presidential sanction of the controversial Law 2010 “through which norms are adopted for the promotion of economic growth, employment, investment, strengthening of public finances, and the progressivity, equity, and efficiency of the tax system,” (…) The difficulties that Minister Carrasquilla is facing to balance the budget reveal that the juggling he resorted to in order to evade the Fiscal Rule by simulating compliance, passing off current spending as financing and settling debts through the issuance of treasury securities (TES), paying debt with debt, was not enough. Not even counting on extraordinary income from the profits declared by the Bank of the Republic, which the Government did not anticipate, amounting to $8 trillion and $3.2 trillion from the distribution in the extraordinary Assembly of ECOPETROL of its “occasional reserve.”.
Source: eldiariodelllano.com
Date: January 07
Headline: Casanare Government and Parex maintain the Trinidad – Bocas del Pauto road
Since December 26, 2019, maintenance of the Trinidad to Bocas del Pauto road has been carried out, between kilometer 50 (El Convento District) and kilometer 84 (Zambranero and Lagunitas Villages). Taking advantage of the summer season, the oil operator Parex Resources, in agreement with the Casanare Government, responded to the call from the communities that requested intervention on this stretch of road due to its advanced state of deterioration, as a consequence of the rainy season. (…) It is expected that this work, which is currently progressing at kilometer 70, will be completed in approximately 15 days.
Source: El Universal
Date: January 06
Headline: «We must seek the participation of everyone and not get stuck in sectarianism»
2019 was, so far, the year that tested the pulse of President Iván Duque. The series of protests, led by millions of Colombians demanding grievances that not only come from the past but are almost impossible to solve in the short term, marked a turning point in Duque's government. (…) Today we have more than 10,000 proposals sent through the platform we made available to the public, in addition to those we have received in person in different cities. When one looks at the list of more than 120 requests from the Committee, one realizes that many of the requests already have clear government actions, and there are others where we can work together; but unfortunately, there are also requests that are impossible to fulfill. For example, the expropriation of the small shareholders of Ecopetrol, which would cost more than 15 trillion pesos, or the total nationalization of the health system.
Source: RCN Radio.
Date: January 06
Source: notitulua.com
Date: January 06
Headline: Arrow Exploration renegotiates debt, appoints Canacol vice president to the Board of Directors
The parent company of Carrao Energy, Arrow Exploration Corp. (TSXV: AXL), has announced that it has negotiated an amendment and extension of its $5 million promissory note with Canacol Energy Ltd. (…) Before joining Canacol, Mr. Zaidi was president and general counsel of Carrao Energy Ltd., a private oil and gas exploration company that he co-founded and managed until its acquisition by Canacol in November 2011 and, in turn, by Arrow in September 2018. Prior to this time, he had been an officer or director of several public and private companies, including Integral Oil Services, Pacific Rubiales Energy, Petro Magdalena Energy, Medora Resources, and others, as well as a securities lawyer at Blake.
Source: El Espectador
Date: January 05
Headline: Infrastructure, productivity, and purchasing power. By: Mauricio Botero
According to reports from DANE, today a person whose monthly income is the minimum wage can buy, after accounting for inflation, almost 28% more than what a worker could spend 20 years ago, considering the real growth of that salary. (…) The proposal from the self-proclaimed National Strike Committee for the country to spend $15 trillion to reacquire Ecopetrol shares held by the public is foolish. On the contrary, what the Government should do is sell its shares in this company and invest those resources in infrastructure. And it should sell them for two main reasons: the first is that the social and economic profitability of using those resources in infrastructure —and therefore in productivity— is much higher, and the second is that oil (like coal) has no future. Prestigious institutions like McKinsey predict that by the early 2030s, crude oil demand will begin to decline rapidly, and once the markets assimilate this fact, in a few years, stock prices in oil companies will also collapse.
Source: Q Hubo Barrancabermeja
Date: January 05
Headline: Recognition of leaders
For the work they did during the past year to strengthen the El Centro district, the Mayor's Office, together with Ecopetrol, held a meeting with the leaders of this rural sector to highlight their work and management in different areas. The community appreciated being recognized for the work they did so that the district could benefit from various projects.
Topics
Source: El Tiempo
Date: January 07
Headline: The 10 environmental events that will mark 2020
The return of glyphosate spraying, the fracking pilot, and the future of the Santurbán moor are some of the trends that will define the start of this year. The Brazilian Amazon and the climate crisis will remain at the top of global concerns. 1. Oil exploration. With the support of 13 experts, including seven environmentalists, the government of Iván Duque presented a bill for the exploration of unconventional oil deposits. The experts stated that there is no evidence of a possible imminent environmental risk in a fracking pilot process. If this law is approved, it would come into effect on January 20. While the Government has allowed a deliberation period until January 16, those who criticize this technique claim that their suggestions will not be binding. Hence, some environmentalists do not rule out mobilizations. On the other hand, this issue will spark debate among environmentalists who are against and those who do not oppose fracking pilots.
Source: El Tiempo
Date: January 07
Headline: Oil market awaits actions from Iran
The price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil closed up 0.3 percent on Monday, settling at $63.27 per barrel, pressured by the crisis between Iran and the United States following the death of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. At the end of trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), WTI futures contracts for February delivery rose by 22 cents. Prices increased by as much as 2 percent during a somewhat volatile session, due to current fears that Iran may retaliate against U.S. interests. Following Soleimani's death at the hands of the U.S. on Thursday, Iran promised to retaliate, which analysts on Wall Street believe would determine the direction of the next oil movement. However, some analysts believe that oil is showing considerable stability despite the difficult geopolitical situation.
Source: El Tiempo
Date: January 07
Headline: Prices peek at US$70
The price of Brent crude oil closed yesterday above $68.90, 0.44 % more expensive, after surpassing the $70 barrier during the early hours of the session due to the Iranian crisis. The market fears that a potential Iranian response to U.S. attacks may target oil facilities in the region, which could impact production levels. «Investors have entered defensive mode: they hope for the best but fear the worst,» said Craig Erlam of Oanda.
Source: El Espectador
Date: January 07
Headline: The second decade of the 21st century in Colombia. By: Daniel Pacheco
The year has ended, and the decade has ended, which deserves at least a decalog to honor the periods. In the decade of the tens, the second of the 21st century, Colombia witnessed significant events and stagnations. It remains to be seen what the transformative power of these events will be, and at the beginning of this new decade of the twenties, it is unclear how the country will overcome its stagnations. (…) The country awakened to environmental conflicts; the Hidroituango crisis that did not end in tragedy but dried up the Cauca River for a few days, the rejection of fracking, mining consultations, deforestation, animal rights, judicial activism granting rights to rivers and biomes. Like never before, and in the context of climate change, the concern (sometimes misinformed, urbanized, and unrealistic) for the environment is part of the public agenda.
Source: Portafolio
Date: January 07
Headline: ‘Growing at a faster pace is positive, but insufficient’
Unless an extraordinary situation arises, everything indicates that the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be higher this year than in 2019. The Government and Andi talk about a figure of 4.1%, while less optimistic experts estimate 3.5%. Although many countries would wish for these figures, the reality is that Colombian entrepreneurs themselves have expressed that only when there is growth above 4.1% could the job generation needed to lower the unemployment rate, which in 2019 surely closed above 10.1%, be felt. (…) Graph. Oil prices (in dollars). *Government projection.
Source: Portafolio
Date: January 07
Headline: Colombia aims to achieve an inflation target of 3.1% by the end of 2020
Colombia has historically had controlled inflation, and this year that begins would not be an exception to the rule. (…) On the regulated side, the Central Bank indicates that “the variations will be smaller than those anticipated in July, although with values close to 4.1% by the end of the year. This dynamic is, in part, the result of lower pressures from fuel costs and transportation services, due to a lower oil price than projected in the previous report.”.
Source: Portafolio
Date: January 07
Headline: U.S.-Iran tension raises crude to $71
The price of a barrel of Brent oil surpassed $71 yesterday Monday due to the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, following the death last Friday in Baghdad of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani at the hands of a U.S. drone. The North Sea crude barrel for delivery in March reached $71.73 at 3:40 GMT in the London ICE futures market, although it later moderated its rise and was quoted at $70.16 at 8:58 GMT, which is 2.27% more than the close of the previous session (Friday, October 3). (…) Likewise, Iraq, the second-largest oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and which pumps around 4.6 million barrels per day, approved a resolution in its Parliament calling for the expulsion of U.S. troops, raising doubts about the fight against the Islamic State or ISIS.
Institutional
Source: Portafolio
Date: January 07
Headline: 15 million gallons…
…in fuel quotas were assigned by the Ministry of Mines and Energy through Upme in 2019 for water transport, benefiting 117 national-flagged fishing vessels, 185 coastal motor vessels, 147 tugboats, seven aquaculture companies, and 102 ships of the National Navy.
Source: El Nuevo Siglo
Date: January 07
Headline: Focus on the state apparatus
Following the appointment last week of the head of the new Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Colombia reached 18 ministries, as just a few months ago the Ministry of Sports was also established. (…) It is evident that the specific weight of ministries in Colombia has varied in the last decade, not only because the system of checks and balances as well as the separation and balance of powers has been reshaped by various circumstances, but also because during this period other instances were created that, due to their multisectoral focus and management of broad-spectrum policies, end up having more decision-making power, executive capacity, and even institutional preponderance than the cabinet ministries. Such is the case of the Agencies, such as those for Victims, Legal Defense, Rural Development, Lands, Road Safety, Infrastructure, Hydrocarbons, Spectrum, and others. Some of them even have a budget allocation similar to or greater than several ministries, as they are responsible for the implementation or coordination of macro policies, that is, those that exceed the jurisdictional capacity of some ministries as such.
Source: La Patria
Date: January 07
Headline: Reader's voice – The «pilots»
The Minister of Mines and Energy and some high heliotropes from Ecopetrol do not talk about pilot explorations or pilot tests or pilot experiments but simply about «pilots». And they bathe in rose water because they invented the term. They think they are the cows that fly the highest. Don Cecilio.
Source: El Meridiano de Sucre
Date: January 06
Headline: With license
Miniminas established that the exploration of the wells of the pilot «fracking» projects to be carried out in Colombia must have the corresponding environmental license granted by ANLA for the sites where it will be developed.
Source: las2orillas.co
Date: January 06
Headline: The Chinese will produce a good part of Colombia's clean energy
In places as distant and foreign as Chinú in Córdoba or Armero in Tolima, the mega Chinese company Trina Solar Generador will be dedicated to producing solar energy. The Chinese had already tested themselves in Colombia with a photovoltaic park in Puerto Gaitán (Meta) that will begin operating in the coming months. (…) Trinasolar entered fully to compete for clean energy in Colombia. They secured three of the projects that were offered in the auction by the Ministry of Mines (…) Last year, Ecopetrol assigned AES Colombia the construction of a 21 Mw solar park in the municipality of Castilla La Nueva, Meta, which was put into operation this October and will supply energy for the next 15 years to the Castilla field, the second largest of Ecopetrol.
Source: El Colombiano
Date: January 05
Headline: Participation limit on Fracking
Until January 20, citizens will be able to submit comments on the decree from the Ministry of Mines and Energy that would regulate fracking activity in Colombia. Comments are stored through a form at the email pciudadana@minenergia.gov.co
Source: El Colombiano
Date: January 05
Headline: Mabel, the voice and face of the emerging Minciencia
The scientist and researcher Mabel Torres was appointed to occupy this emerging position. We tell you what her challenges and plans are in the country. (…) Her position on two aspects promoted by the current government stands out: fracking and glyphosate, how is she going to move the forces from the Ministry? “These are issues that concern us all and in the relevant portfolios they are working rigorously. From the Ministry, what we will do are investigations so that more and more the economies of the country are based on sustainability models rather than merely extractive ones. From there, I will work, it is what corresponds to me.
Source: Stay informed
Date: January 05
Headline: These are the fuel prices that will apply for January
The Ministry of Mines and Energy reported that gasoline prices in the country for January 2020 will remain stable, while the cost of diesel will rise by $185 pesos, on average, for the 13 main cities.
Source: Semana
Date: January 04
Headline: Diesel price rises
This week the Ministry of Mines and Energy announced the fuel prices that will apply in January, bringing great surprises. The good news is that gasoline will remain stable in the 13 main cities of the country at an average price of 9,260 pesos per gallon. The city with the most expensive gallon of gasoline is Villavicencio (9,802 pesos).
Source: La Guajira
Date: January 04
Headline: For Mabel Torres, ‘Fracking is an unsustainable practice’
The new Minister of Science and Technology, Mabel Torres, has shown on different occasions her disagreement with fracking, as she has stated to various media that the implementation of sustainable practices is a priority in light of the environment. For Torres, hydraulic fracturing is nothing more than a profitable practice from an economic perspective; however, she asserts that over the years it will become an unsustainable practice. That is why Colombia must seek new alternatives for development and productivity. (…) Evidently, these statements from the minister clash with positions like that of the Minister of Mines and Energy, Sandra Suárez, who has been a staunch defender of the implementation of fracking in the country.
Source: La Patria
Date: January 03
Headline: Fracking, last option
The new Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mabel Torres, spoke about fracking and, apparently, her positions on this measure are not close to those of President Iván Duque: “I would bet that Colombia should think about a different economy, that fracking should be the last option for us to be competitive and productive,” she expressed.
Source: El Nuevo Día
Date: January 03
Headline: “Fracking should be the last alternative”
The new Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mabel Torres, gave some details about what her management will be like in this portfolio that she will lead from her experience as a biologist, chemist, and researcher, in addition to a master's degree she has in microbiology. The new head of the Science portfolio made statements to the media yesterday and spoke about fracking and, apparently, her positions on this measure are not very close to those of President Iván Duque. In her statements, Torres referred to fracking and proposed that a different economy should start to be considered. (…) The Minister of Mines and Energy, María Fernanda Suárez, who has studies in business administration and public policy, has insisted on the implementation of fracking as a necessary dynamic for the “energy security of Colombians.”.
F
Colombian Association of Oil and Gas