News and AnalysIs for

Incident counts went down to 25 but this was primarily due to fewer reported Armed Forces incidents.

The corruption case involving former Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) employees and a contract awarded to PetroTiger has arisen again after a new round of arrests, and the NOC says it is a victim and has been efficiently cooperating with the investigation.

The Network for Tax Justice has filed a lawsuit to anull the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) resolution that defines the formula used to determine the country´s fuel prices.

A Casanare representative has challenged articles of the royalty reform law while the National Planning Department (DNP) has suspended payments to 106 municipalities who have not reported their royalty use. These and other stories in our routine round up.

The USO welcomed the decision of Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) to not renew the Rubiales Field association contract with Pacific Rubiales (TSX:PRE) saying that it was a result of years of social and political pressure. But the union was clear that it is just the first step.

The Colombia Chamber of Oil Goods & Services (Campetrol) estimates that as many as 15,000 workers with oil contractors have lost their jobs thus far due to the fall in oil prices, and that the cuts will likely continue.

Finally ruling on one of the more controversial and uncertain scenarios facing the Colombian oil industry, Ecoeptrol (NYSE:EC) has said it would not renew its association contract with Pacific Rubiales (TSX:PRE) for Colombia’s largest producing field, Rubiales.

The Minister of Mines and Energy Tomás González says that the government’s objective is keep production at a million barrels a day despite the fall in international oil prices, and that there is interest among international companies to invest in Colombia.

GasMinMinas reported that gas production rose in February due to “demand behavior for the Riohacha, Cupiagua, Cusiana and Pauto fields”. The graph shows that while February numbers rose, the trend is not so postitive.

President Juan Manuel Santos has ordered Colombian armed forces to cease bombings of Farc camps for one month, a milestone decision after over two years of peace negotiations. The government and Farc also announced an agreement to start de-mining operations in conflict areas.