Citing the risk that social programs could be affected until royalty reforms, the central government has issued a decree to pay more than US$176M to producing regions, in what appears to be most relevant change to the new royalty system since its enactment.
The USO says the recent firing of the president of its Cartagena chapter –the arm of the union wrapped up in an extended conflict at the Cartagena Refinery (Reficar)- constitutes a new strategy “to exterminate” the union.
Casanare oil operators and authorities have taken a more active reaction to the emergency drought conditions in the department to both offer support to communities affected and contradict criticism and allegations that oil production has caused the emergency. Critics still remain.
In Monterrey a tanker passing another tanker truck crashed into two other tankers that had just collided while ascending a curvy bit of highway outside the locality known as “The curves”. Witnesses of the accident said that the driver passing the other tanker managed to avoid a full collision with the two other tankers that were stopped, but in doing so ended up in the ditch destroying all the trees and vegetation in its path.
After widespread coverage of the drought in Casanare paired with accusations that oil production is causing it, the USO has come out and said that its work with the local community in Arauca could prevent the same tragedy from happening there as well.
School is back in session for 2014 providing an opportunity for oil producers to give school supplies to communities in their area of influence, while another program looks to encourage environmental protection at the village committee level. These and other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) stories.
Stories this week involving the public roadways and the oil industry include talks between local leaders and Equion, an Ecopetrol program to pave roads in Arauca, restrictions in Caquetá and more.
A seismic exploration project being carried out by Pacific Rubiales is receiving increased resistance from local communities in Huila, where a number of government authorities, environmental activists and academics will organize a forum to discuss the matter.
Parex has held a press conference with local media outlets and looks to convince the local community that its plan to drill exploration wells in the Tinije Lagoon will be more environmentally safe than Spain’s Cepcolsa, who abandoned the project after community pressure.
USO affiliates staged a protest last week in front of Ecopetrol’s (NYSE:EC) corporate headquarters in Bogotá over what the union says is a negligent attitude of the NOC in regards to the health benefits and conditions under contractor firms.
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