News and AnalysIs for

October 3, 2012 13:30 Bogotá/Houston; 12:30 Calgary; 14:30 Toronto/New York; 19:30 London

The Petroleum Workers Union (USO) called for an industry-wide strike in the important oil department of Meta for today October 3, 2012.

Source: January-June MinMinas, Hydrocarbons Colombia; September 2012 from Parex
A Parex Resources press release says that September production was 11,850bpd versus 10,300bpd in 2Q12. The company expressed confidence in hitting at least 13,000bpd assuming current operating conditions continue, especially the assumption that proven wells get approvals for production and that existing wells decline at the current observed rate.

October 3, 2012 From an Ecopetrol press release published on the MinMinas site. Translated and with commentary by Hydrocarbons Colombia.

From a MinMinas press release. Translated and with commentary by Hydrocarbons Colombia.

MME, Bogotá DC, October 1, 2012. Thirty eight investment projects in transport, health, education, culture, environmental and agricultural development, among others, were approved by the College of Management and Decision (OCAD) held in the department of Arauca.

October 2, 2012 Petroamericas issued a press release updating its Colombian operations both exploration and production. Highlights include

The head of the Colombian Transporters Confederation, Jorge Ignacio Garcia, told RCN Radio yesterday that the association’s 50,000 members had “turned off their motors” indefinitely because of a CoP$76 (US$0.04) increase in the price of a gallon of gasoline and CoP$111.60 (US$0.06) per gallon of diesel fuel. In Bogotá, the price of a gallon of diesel is US$4.58. (Unusually for a country which otherwise uses the metric system, gasoline prices are quoted per US gallon which is about 4 liters.)

The Colombian National Police report significant reductions in crime  in the month of September resulting from plan “Green Heart”. They report various categories of crime were down both month over month and year over year, in some categories as much as 80%. Bank robberies were zero in September. They report 71 captures during the month.

Gold Oil published its 1H2012 results and it is clear that it needs partners quickly. The company has an interest in the Azar block (operated by Gran Tierra) and operates the Nancy Burdine block under an arrangement with Ecopetrol. Both blocks are in Putumayo. The company also has interests in Peru.

NO INCREASE IN PRICES OF NATURAL GAS: NATURGAS

Bogotá, September 23, 2012. In response to the information presented in yesterday which claims that there will be a 10% increase in gas prices, Naturgas states that currently there will be no in any of the components that make up the rate users pay for gas.

Chile-based GeoPark reported its first half 2012 results in a press release, highlighting acquisitions in Colombia that increased production and successful exploration in Colombia as well.

The company closed two acquisitions in Colombia in the first half and that contributed 88% of the 194% increase in revenues that the company recorded. The price was US$105M and revenue contribution for the first half was US$36M which should make the CFO and the shareholders happy.