The recent green light to hold a popular vote in the municipality of Tauramena, Casanare, is making waves in the community and the local paper published an opinion piece calling for oil companies and contractors to demonstrate good practices in environmental matters, or face the consequences of community or legal action.
Small diameter pipeline operator Raven held a socialization session with municipal leaders in Paz de Ariporo to detail the advances in the environmental permitting process of the Llanos Express Pipeline (OXL) and discuss points of interest with the community.
The president of the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP) Alejandro Martínez believes that not only will the number of exploratory wells in Colombia fall below expectations, it will come in below 2012 levels also.
The USO returned to an ongoing dispute with two of the largest oilfield service suppliers, Weatherford (NYSE:WFT) and Halliburton (NYSE:HAL), the union has accused both firms of anti-union practices and said legal and popular protest are an option.
The Minister of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) Amylkar Acosta said that coal miners Drummond and Cerrejón must reach an agreement on the elongated dispute over overlapping Coal Bed Methane gas (CBM) and coal production rights in the Ranchería River Valley, and that they have a month to do so.
The National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) is still without a president as the main candidate to take up the role was rejected due to a technicality. Looming ahead is a legal deadline on November 25, when the government is legally prohibited from appointing administrative positions ahead of the election cycle.
Incidents near areas of interest to the oil and gas industry were up significantly to 42 this week well above recent and long-term averages and the highest level since March. As well, non-Armed Forces incidents were slightly above average at 17%. This is our indicator of increased guerrilla-initiated activity. Correspondingly, our 4-week Moving Average incident count was up to 32 but the 52 week average was essentially unchanged at 34.2 incidents per week.
Colombia’s Senate approved this week a bill to allow the proposed referendum to accept an eventual peace agreement with the Farc on the same day of legislative or presidential elections.
Colombia’s ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) is preparing rules to deregulate transport rates for new oil pipelines in order to promote more construction in areas with new production.
The Casanare Administrative Tribunal has approved a formal request from the mayor of Tauramena to hold a constitutional popular vote, essentially a public referendum, in which the community can support or reject the development of oil productions in the municipality.