ACP as a source of information
Source: El Nuevo Siglo – National
Date: September 09
Headline: The time of truth has come for fracking
Tomorrow the Council of State must determine whether to lift or maintain the precautionary measure on unconventional deposits and address the recommendations of the expert commission. After the postponement on August 29 regarding the decision on fracking, this week the definitive time has come for the Council of State to determine the future of unconventional deposits (YNC). (…) Francisco José Lloreda, president of the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP), stated that the country is at risk of losing its self-sufficiency in gas and oil, which is why he proposes the use of fracking to ensure reserves for a longer time. “We see in unconventional deposits, using fracking, a great possibility that could guarantee oil reserves for another 25 years,” he said. It was reported in:elnuevosiglo.com.co (September 09).
Source: lametronoticias.com – Regional
Author: José David Name Cardozo
Date: September 09
Headline: Fracking with responsibility and oversight
For several years, there has been a discussion in the country about whether or not to use the fracking technique or hydraulic fracturing for the extraction of gas and oil from the subsurface; the two diametrically opposed positions in this discussion have made it a long debate in which the community has been left in the middle and with unfounded fears. (…) Experts estimate that by implementing the fracking technique, hydrocarbon reserves could increase up to five times. According to the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP), hydraulic fracturing would represent for Colombia the opportunity to generate fiscal revenues of $1.5 trillion annually in taxes, contractual economic rights, dividends, and royalties.
Source: Semana – National
Date: September 08
Headline: Fracking, key round
In the coming days, the ruling of the Council of State will be issued regarding the precautionary measures that suspended this controversial technique for extracting oil and gas. The decision has the country in suspense because it will not only have legal impacts but also environmental and economic implications. The future of one of the most controversial and contentious projects in Colombia is in the hands of the Council of State. (…) In light of this situation, the Ministry of Mines and Energy presented a petition to the Council of State to lift that suspension. (…) For Francisco José Lloreda, president of the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP), the country has good regulations to develop these deposits, and the risks are identified and can be prevented, which does not eliminate the possibility of contingencies. That is why he asserts that «it is necessary to apply the principle of prevention and not that of precaution; that is, to advance all measures, including environmental licenses, to develop it.» It was reported in: semana.com (September 07).
Source: El País – Regional
Author: Francisco José Lloreda Mera
Date: September 08
Headline: We should care
The Valley was one of the few departments that, comparatively, did not do so well during the oil boom and fared better with the fall in international crude prices. This is because there are no oil and gas exploration and production activities in its territory, as the basis of its economy is agriculture, industry, services, and commerce, which makes it less vulnerable to the cycles of the oil sector. (…) And the best medium-term option, with the available information from the sector, is unconventional deposits. In the current fields, there is still oil and gas, but they have limits; offshore ones will take time and it is unclear if they will be profitable, and companies do not want to venture into basins where state presence is almost nil. Replicated in: elpais.com.co (September 08).
Hydrocarbons Sector
Source: El Tiempo
Date: September 09
Headline: Innovation will add up to 40,000 more barrels to the Colombia Pipeline
After 30 years of operation, and despite having its transportation capacity fully utilized, moving between 205,000 and 210,000 barrels daily this year, the Colombia Pipeline continues to evaluate projects to increase that number, based on the increase in the country's oil production. In this regard, Natalia de la Calle, president of the company belonging to the Ecopetrol Group, states that not only are processes being improved to avoid downtime in pumping, but there is also a project to heat the crude oil in order to make it more liquid and thus move it faster, an initiative that could increase its capacity by between 20,000 and 40,000 barrels per day.
Source: La República
Date: September 09
Headline: The Government would cover itself against falling oil prices with more debt
To prevent the country's public finances from being disrupted again as happened with the decline in international crude prices since mid-2014, the Government is advancing a strategy, in which it has already taken three steps, to bring to life the so-called oil hedges, with which it can protect itself against future price drops. (…) “Hedging is a very risky operation given the unpredictability of price behavior and the exchange rate, as both are exposed not only to market fundamentals but also to geopolitical variables. With the current uncertainty, due to the trade war that U.S. President Donald Trump declared on the rest of the world, especially his confrontation with China, this risk is exacerbated,” said Amylkar Acosta, former Minister of Mines and Energy.
Source: La República
Date: September 09
Headline: Regulation on fracking is being discussed again this week in the Council of State
The debate on whether or not to allow fracking returns to the courts this week. Tomorrow, the discussion will resume in the Council of State to define whether the precautionary measures that suspended the regulations enabling the exploration of unconventional deposits with fracking in the national territory will be lifted. This determination would respond to a plea filed by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, led by María Fernanda Suárez, and if favorable, nine contracts for exploration in this type of deposits, currently suspended before the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), could be reactivated.
Source: Portafolio
Date: September 09
Headline: Meeting
Meeting of the American Companies Council (CEA) on renewable energies and hydrocarbons. In the photo, from left to right, Ricardo Triana, director of the CEA. Diana Delaty, Government Relations manager at Gran Tierra Energy; Diego Mesa, Deputy Minister of Energy, and Andrés de la Cadena, Government Relations manager at Honeywell.
Source: El Colombiano
Date: September 09
Headline: Tibú on alert for oil spill on riverbed
An oil spill on the Tibú River, which occurred due to a possible illegal valve, alerted civil and environmental authorities about the contamination in the waterway, which is why they deployed a contingency plan to prevent a large-scale emergency. Officials from Corponor, the Ministry of Environment, and Anla traveled to the site to assess the environmental damage in the area. The initial assessment indicates a possible impact on the Tibú aqueduct.
Source: El Heraldo
Date: September 09
Headline: Denying us fracking? By: Ricardo Plata Cepeda
The gas extraction technique called fracking, or unconventional extraction, was born in this century in the United States. After a period of trial and error, it came to represent 51% of the country's total gas production in 2007. With the lessons learned, not only in productivity but also in responsible environmental management, its participation skyrocketed to reach two-thirds of total production last year, which increased by 70% in those 11 years, to 71 trillion cubic feet per day (Colombia produces 1 trillion cubic feet). That is, last year the U.S. produced more gas through unconventional extraction techniques than all that was produced 11 years earlier, and still managed to extend reserves to 90 years (Colombia has less than 10 years).
Source: La Opinión
Date: September 09
Headline: Ecopetrol reports threats in Tibú
Ecopetrol activated a contingency plan to install containment barriers and reinforce the protection of the water intake of the Tibú municipality aqueduct, due to the presence of crude oil in the waters that supply this area. The action was taken after traces of oil were found in the Tibú River. The company reported that the incident occurred at kilometer 364 of the Caño Limón-Coveñas pipeline, in the Campo Seis village. César Ortega, hydrocarbons coordinator of the Autonomous Regional Corporation of the Northeastern Frontier (Corponor), said that the spill could compromise Tibú's water supply, so the public services company was informed of the situation.
Source: El País
Date: September 08
Headline: Decision time
It is likely that in the week that begins, the Council of State will decide the future of fracking in Colombia: if it lifts the provisional suspension of part of the regulation of that extractive technique, it will be feasible to carry out the pilots recommended by the Commission of Experts. If not, it puts the development of so-called unconventional deposits in serious jeopardy, with consequences for fiscal matters and energy security. A crucial decision. (…) Ten years ago, Colombia said yes to the development of its unconventional deposits with fracking. At that time, and by mandate of the development plans of the era, the National Hydrocarbons Agency offered areas through an international call, as a result of which it signed exploration and production contracts with twelve foreign companies. Of these, nine have sold or left, tired of waiting and indecision.
Source: Radio Red
Date: September 06
Headline: Future of fracking in the hands of the Council of State Yes or no to Fracking?
Source: Radio Red
Date: September 06
Headline: Deputy Minister of Energy Diego Mesa requests to implement fracking in the country
Source: Caracol Cúcuta
Date: September 06
Headline: Oil operations in the Tibú field were restored after 43 days of paralysis.
Regional News
Source: Extra Llano
Date: September 06
Headline: Affected by the road closure
Since 8:30 a.m., various representatives from the public and private sectors have been meeting to demand a definitive solution from the National Government regarding the road that connects the capital of Meta with Bogotá. “We are going to bring our concerns and proposals; we have already gotten used to 120 days of the road being closed, and it turns out that the unions are affected because we cannot deliver goods to our main consumer, which is Bogotá,” said Alirio Félix, leader of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Colombia, Meta section. Félix explained that due to all the problems that have arisen from the road closure, “it was learned that recently a company that provides services to Ecopetrol laid off nearly 70 workers; on the other hand, we know that this region is Bogotá's main supplier,” he stated.
Source: laopcion.com.co
Date: September 06
Headline: Communities block Oxy operations in Arauca
Since last Wednesday, August 28, neighboring communities to the oil operations of Occidental de Colombia, LLC (Oxy), in Arauca, have blocked several areas, preventing the normal development of activities in three of the Company's facilities, to request the Company to make modifications to the Voluntary Social Management Plan (PVGS). (…) National, regional, and local government entities participated in the negotiation of the PVGS, which has been executed as planned. Pending investments are in the process of execution through the El Alcaraván Foundation, and it is estimated that they will be completed in the first quarter of 2020.
Colombian Association of Oil and Gas