President Juan Manuel Santos addressed the stalled peace process this week, saying in an interview with Spanish media that if he is reelected, a peace agreement could be signed by the end of the year.
Some of the stories involving Colombia’s new and controversial General Royalty System (SGR) over the past weeks included evidence of improper royalty use in the Arauca and Coveñas municipalities, a dispute between governors and the central government leads to a cancelled OCAD session and MinHacienda say there are regional entities that have forgotten to bill for approved projects.
Ecopetrol has started this year’s process to hire ground transportation, in Meta the governor says a special route will be designated for tankers and Huila-Putumayo leaders met to discuss transportation issues. Meanwhile a number of accidents and spills caused delays in Casanare and made headlines.
Members of the USO national chapter held a meeting with Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) to discuss the modernization of the Barrancabermeja Refinery, and called for work to start immediately.
The national government and the U’WA indigenous community have reached an agreement that will allow repair crews to access the damaged Caño Limon – Coveñas pipeline, which has been out of service since a bombing on March 25th.
The U’WA indigenous community has taken over an oil well in the Toledo municipality and accused the government of skipping out on a scheduled meeting. Reports indicate that the national government may enter with troops to gain access to the damaged Caño Limon- Coveñas Pipeline. UPDATED
The ODL pipeline is planning a new pipeline extension that will run from Carmentea – Araguaney and together with the Yopal municipal council, Casanare Departmental Assembly and the municipal Advising Office of Planning will hold a series of community meetings to socialize the project.
A panel of authorities and experts led by the Vice-minister of Energy Orlando Cabrales participated in a seminar organized by the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP) to highlight a number of policies designed to better communicate environmental practices and facts with the community in Casanare.
The USO reacted to news that Pacific Rubiales (TSX:PRE) and Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) met to discuss the STAR secondary recovery project accusing PRE of poor management of the project and called for the NOC to not renew the production contract with the Canadian firm.
Members of the U´WA indigenous community finally met on April 25th to discuss an agreement that would allow repair crews in to fix the damaged Caño Limon – Coveñas pipeline but no agreement was reached.