News and AnalysIs for

After a rise in terrorist activities targeting energy infrastructure, kidnappings and extortion in Eastern Colombia the national police, Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) and the Attorney General’s office have signed a cooperation agreement to combat the rise in security threats.

A total of 46 oil producers in Colombia, roughly 70% of the industry, say that operational restrictions from community blockades are a primary concern when operating in the country.

After a rise in terrorist activities targeting energy infrastructure, kidnappings and extortion in Eastern Colombia the national police, Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) and the Attorney General’s office have signed a cooperation agreement to combat the rise in security threats.

The Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development (MinAmbiente), Luz Helen Sarmiento held her first meeting with the general directors of the regional autonomous environmental authorities, or CARS, to discuss the work agenda between the regional entities and the central government.

While in charge of Petrominerales (TSX:PMG), Jack Scott would tell everyone from humble scribes like ourselves to Canadian ambassadors to Colombian government ministers of the importance of agile licensing for maintaining production. Now on the threshold of a sale to Pacific Rubiales (TSX:PRE), PMG reports the first increase in production in nearly three years.

The USO caught word of and rejected the news that a group of workers on the job site of Cartagena Refinery expansion, contracted to CB&I (NYSE:CB&I) have moved forward with plans to form a separate union, the United Workers of Colombia (TUC).

Workers demanding payment of salaries and debt from contractors at Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC)’s Porvenir pumping station in the Monterrey municipality have lifted their blockade after the NOC intervened to provide guarantees.

Incidents near areas of interest to the oil and gas industry were essentially unchanged at 31 consistent with the recent experience but slightly below the long-term average. However, non-Armed Forces incidents were above average at 19%. This is our indicator of increased guerrilla-initiated activity. Correspondingly, our 4-week Moving Average incident count was stable at 29.5 but the 52 week average dropped slightly to 34.3 incidents per week.

Colombian Foreign Minister, María Ángela Holguín and her Venezuelan counterpart Elías Jaua signed a memorandum of understanding in the name of the NOC of each country, Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) and PDVSA, to connect oil pipelines at the border.

ProductionSecurity and public order problems took their toll on Colombia’s oil production in September as the daily average production rested at 995,000 barrels, compared to 1.031mmbd in August.