News and AnalysIs for

Against the prognostications of the pollsters and the expectations of pundits both nationally and around the world, Colombians voted narrowly (50.25%) to reject the Santos government’s peace accords with the Farc.

We have changed to a monthly graph since counts have dropped so much that we are only reporting that frequently. Today, it looks like counts will stay low for a few months anyway.

The Minister of Mines and Energy Germán Arce paid a visit to local authorities and industry leaders of productive sectors in the Valle del Cauca, and assured that the government will follow through on new natural gas infrastructure for the Pacific region, including a re-gasification plant.

The USO said that it will not accept under any terms Ecopetrol’s (NYSE:EC) plan to outsource its health services, and said it has come up with a proposal to strengthen and improve the current system.

The president of the Colombian Petroleum Association Francisco José Lloreda said that the royalty framework is one of the leading causes of community conflict and must be reviewed, and prior consultation would be better served if handled by the government ahead of awarding blocks.

The president of the Colombian Energy Chamber (CCEnergia) Andrés Taboada said it seems that government entities are dedicating their efforts to creating obstacles to developing exploration and production activities for oil and gas, instead of promoting these investments.

There have been eight consecutive months with production below the coveted million barrels a day mark. While the fall in oil prices is a principal factor, it is just one of the reasons for this fall from grace, which has left its mark on public finances.

President Juan Manuel Santos and Farc commander Rodrigo Londoño alias ‘Timochenko’ signed the peace agreement in a historic session in Cartagena. Now the deal must be approved in a crucial plebiscite this Sunday, October 2^nd.

Colombia’s most public (potential) unconventional project, still in its early exploration phase, has been suspended by ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) due to a series of blockades in the VMM3 block.

We thought it would be useful for others to read the complete text of ConocoPhilllips (NYSE:COP) statement on the tense situation in San Martin, Cesar. It lays out clearly what the company has done, what the ANH and MinMinas have done, the blockades that arose despite this effort and what the company’s reaction is to the blockades.