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The count increased to 41 this week, above recent and long-term averages, but the story was a direct attack on the electrical substation of a field.

Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) has unveiled a processing center to offer greater capacity for seismic imaging, the facility is operational starting the beginning of the month and located in Bucaramanga.

The USO says it is intricately involved in blockades at access points to La Ciras Infantas Field, where the fields operators Occidental Occidental (NYSE:OXY) and Ecopetrol have been reducing the amount of services hired.

While officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MiMinas) have started making the rounds to defend the regulatory framework and requirements for companies to use fracking techniques, the Minister of Housing Luis Felipe Henao has said he is concerned about the practice due to its potential impact on water sources.

The second group of 12 victims of Colombia’s armed conflict addressed the peace talks in Havana, calling for a bilateral cease fire and that justice, but not revenge, is served.

After nearly two months of protests in Putumayo the government has agreed to form a permanent dialogue with the department in the Puerto Asís in order to find a solution to end the ongoing dispute where oil infrastructure and security is a principal issue.

Blockades of the La Cira Infantas field have prohibited access to the administration facilities and led the operators of the field to suspend six contracts, affecting 700 workers associated with the project.

The new Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development (MinAmbiente) Gabriel Vallejo has made his first public addresses to the congress and the national park service, giving the first glimpse into the authority’s priorities under his watch. Bottlenecks in environmental licensing were not mentioned.

Ecopetrol lived through “golden years” from 2007-2012 and now confronts not only a challenging operational scenario, but also questions affecting its potential moving forward.

Each day that passes anti-fracking fears spread to new areas, now with a local paper telling its Caquetá readership that the government has authorized the practice and the department will not be an exception, even though no plans exist for fracking in the department.