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The USO takes credit for averting “mass lay offs” in Pacific Rubiales (TSX:PRE) after organizing protests in the Rubiales area.

After nearly two months of blockades in Caquetá over an exploration project by Emerald Energy, tensions have elevated the conflict to a new high after riot police cleared protesters by force last week.

It is only a commitment to study the issue, but the Colombian government finally seems to admit there is a problem with the tax system that inhibits investment in exploration and development.

For us, last week was the last of the quarter because we use Friday closing prices for our tracking. Traders feared the impact on demand of a ‘Grexit’ and Baker Hughes North American rig counts finished higher for the first time in this year.

The toll of the latest Farc offensive, one with grave environmental consequences, has shown itself in a recent Gallup poll which found that 46% of Colombians support a military-led approach to defeating the Farc, one percentage point above those who favor negotiations.

Nothing seems to be 100% sure in the natural gas industry. Will a recent call for comments from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) on a planned resolution regarding planning for future gas consumption trends help clear things up?

The Minister of Mines and Energy Tomás González formally presented 10 measures designed to improve the competitiveness of the mining and hydrocarbons industry, pointing to their strategic role in the Colombian economy.

The Energy and Gas Regulation Commission (CREG) has approved a change that allows Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) to fix propane cylinder prices based on the internal price of natural gas, a move which the propane distribution association Gasnova says will hurt Colombia’s poorest.

The Farc has already stolen 148,000 barrels of oil this year by using illegal valves, meanwhile Cormacarena has established an environmental preservation plan for part of north Macarena. These and other environmental stories in our periodic summary.

Both gasoline and diesel prices will see a small increase in July, as observers speculate whether the entry of the Cartagena Refinery (Reficar) could translate into significant savings for consumers in the beginning of 2016.