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A Cienega municipality administrator says Comptroller findings reflect administrative errors not funds misuse, meanwhile The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) is allocating CoP$9B (US$3M) to incentivize production. These and other stories in our periodic roundup.

The USO’s ongoing collective bargaining with Petrosantander had been described with a more amicable tone in past statements by the union, but apparently there was not enough common ground to reach an agreement, as the negotiation processes closes without an accord.

Students for an Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) scholarship program were chosen in Santander and Meta, meanwhile an agreement between Ecopetrol and Corpoica was signed to benefit rural producers. These and other stories on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in our periodic summary.

Two senators have taken up the cause advanced by former Senate president, Senator Jose Name, which led to the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) and the Energy & Gas Regulation Commission (CREG) to freeze natural gas prices, citing the interests of the final consumer along the Caribbean coast.

The fall in oil prices has had dire consequences for the oil services industry, and regional leaders are looking at how services firms of different countries can band together to weather the current price scenario.

The USO said that Ecopetrol’s (NYSE:EC) policies, which include farm-out agreements for the NOC’s smaller fields, have already negatively affected the Casanare department.

Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) environment chief for Middle Magdalena and Catatumbo Julia Celina Angulo Díaz said that the NOC will be recognized by the United Nations Development Program in December for its social work in the region.

With the fall in oil prices specialized workers like oil engineers and general employees originally attracted to better salaries in the oil industry have suffered, creating added tension towards foreign workers and there is no clear alternative in sight.

Industry and community representatives complain about how poor road quality in Caquetá affects business, meanwhile a special hearing will be held to decide if Pacific E&P (TSX:PRE) is responsible for damage on the Corocoro-Cravo Norte highway. These and other stories in our periodic roundup of road-related issues.

“This government does not believe in the agriculture sector as a motor of development” said that executive president of the Colombian Association of Oil Goods and Services (Campetrol) Rubén Darío Lizarralde, an area where the association is looking to lessen the economic dependence on the oil industry.