The USO has taken up a new argument to criticize Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC), now accusing the NOC of weakening safety controls and covering up injuries and fatalities during the modernization process.
The latest controversy to hit the use of royalty funds: One of three contracts signed between 2012-2015 directly hired a contractor instead of using competitive processes.
Students, teachers and administrators in Barracabermeja say more OCAD support is needed for education infrastructure, as current programs do not address the gaps. This and other royalty related stories in our periodic roundup.
Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) will begin work on providing gas services to 30,000 Colombian families in January 2016, meanwhile in Putumayo a community warns strikes could come over local hiring quotas. These and other stories on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in our periodic summary.
Cesar Loza has been voted in as the new president of the USO, and promised an action plan focused on defending the Barrancabermeja Refinery modernization project, observing the transition of the Rubiales Field and fighting against worker layoffs in the sector, among other objectives.
A Casanare tribunal declared a recent public hearing a failure after community leaders from the village of Tesoro Buby in Aguazul rejected a proposal from Perenco on the grounds it does not address all of their claims. The company said the proposal exceeds its responsibility.
The National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) held another event designed to better the relationship between industry and communities, highlighting functioning projects that different stakeholders can participate in.
The USO held its annual election of its board of directors during its national assembly of delegates on November 26 and 27 and is in the process of validating the results.
A magistrate in Putumayo has filed a case with the Constitutional Court which alleges that an indigenous community (Awá) in the department has not received their due rights and called for E&P activities to be halted.
The Minister of Mines and Energy Tomás González led a string of visits and inaugurations which highlighted royalty funded projects in a “Royalty Marathon”, while President Juan Manuel Santos addressed the press and said that royalties are no longer a synonym for corruption.
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