News and AnalysIs for

That was the gist of the message from MinMinas Federico Renjifo in response to a version of the above graph at the CiMinPetrol 2013 congress in Cartagena last week. It had been presented by Raul Espinosa, a Venezuelan economist with a long history of working in the industry, currently at the InterAmerican Development Bank.

The Animals and Nature Defense Association (ADAN) has filed a claim with Colombia’s Public Minister over damages they alleged come from irresponsible environmental practices in the oil industry.

Blockades have become the number one security issue for many companies, ahead of attacks by the Farc or ELN. Although blocking roads is illegal, the government is uncomfortable sending troops against private citizens apparently exercising their democratic rights. Worse for the companies, many of the issues being protested apparently have nothing to do with them.

A Sunday bombing of the San Miguel-Orito Pipeline in the Putumayo department, forced authorities to suspend the pipeline’s use, in an attack that Ecopetrol says comes from the Farc.

Colombian Senator Maritza Martínez Aristizábal has tightened her message on the Pacific Rubiales and Ecopetrol relationship, and requested that Ecopetrol assume control of the Rubiales oil field.

GasTwo firms, Promigás and NEOgás, are planning investments to expand existing operations or initiate new activities related to natural gas production and distribution.

The USO said last week their leadership made a trip to Canada in order to make ties with Canadian organizations and law makers that can assist the union organize against the Canadian firm Pacific Rubiales. The organization said it met with members of Canada’s Green Party and New Democratic Party, as well as with union delegates of the ACEP.

Colombian oil producer THX has denied any relationship to a man suspected of links  to the Colombian underworld, Gabriel Ricardo Morales Fallón, who allegedly coordinated the use of a company plane for Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla.

Counts were down very slightly to 40 above recent and long-term averages. This was a below average week for guerrilla-initiated activities but since there was a pipeline attack, the week was hardly tranquil. Our 4-week Moving Average incident count was up to 37.0 incidents and the 52 week average was up to 37.7 incidents per week.

There is still no community-Ecopetrol agreement over the Cupiagua oil field, where 14 villages within the influence of the drilling are at loggerheads with the company over the distribution of local hiring percentages for the project and the management of investment funds.