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The new National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) president Mauricio de la Mora met with the president of the Chamber of Oil Goods and Services (Campetrol) Rubén Darío Lizarralde, to discuss a joint strategy to strengthen the oil sector.

The USO has continued to denounce the alleged firing of Ecopetrol (NYSE: EC) worker USO Vice President Edwin Palma when he published information on social media denouncing the high salaries of Ecopetrol management.

The only concession contract in the Chocó Department assigned during the Colombia Round 2014 has failed to advance, and the reason has nothing to do with the price of oil.

Time is up on a 90-day period given by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) to local municipalities and districts to present details of protected areas, with authorities and advocates questioning the timing and reach of the decree.

After being assured that Ecopetrol (NYSE: EC) will not be privatized, the USO called off their indefinite strike – but already a new issue has flared up. The USO is now contemplating another strike in response to Ecopetrol’s firing of USO vice president Edwin Palma.

Following a meeting between the USO oil workers union president Edwin Castaño and a number of government ministers, vice ministers and the head of the National Planning Department (DNP) Simon Gaviria, the union said that it would not hold an indefinite strike after Gaviria made statements that Ecopetrol would not be privatized.

Ecopetrol makes top ten list for Colombian CSR while the company receives attacks for allegedly canceling the reconstruction of a Villavicencio school. These and other stories on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in our periodic summary.

Fed up with a persistent blockade at its Floreña wells and CDF, Equion has suspended all work at its Floreña A, I and T wells and construction work still being performed at the recently inaugurated Floreña CPF.

Fresh off a 24-hour strike on March 19, the USO said they will meet with Ecopetrol and government representatives on March 25, and then determine if they will continue with an indefinite strike as promised.

Both national and local leaders have taken to talk of an opportunity to strengthen other sectors outside of oil and create a more diversified economy, and many planned projects, including a micro-refinery in Meta, will have to be reconsidered. These and others stories in our periodic review of the impact of the fall in oil prices.