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Senator Fernando Araújo pointed out the benefits that the modernized Cartagena Refinery (Reficar) has contributed and will bring to the local community, and called for specific investments to mitigate faulty infrastructure in the nearby communities.

Juan Carlos Echeverry, Ecopetrol’s (NYSE:E) president, said in an interview that the NOC has been going through a deep cultural change prompted by the fall in oil prices. Local hiring, community relations, the ability to “sacrifice barrels” and environmental matters are some of the areas affected.

We have not done this graph for a while but a recent newspaper article which we thought was misleading inspired us to do it.

Ecopetrol is working “intensely” to prepare for the reversion of the Rubiales field from Pacific E&P, as well as the Cusiana field from Equión. Workers currently at the Rubiales field say they are confident the NOC will hire them under the new contract.

Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) has started executing an exploratory campaign using a Vibroseis truck in three different municipalities in the Caquetá department, and promised both work and investment for the local population.

While the political clamor to modernize the Barrancabermeja Refinery continues, the facilities reported a net profit of CoP$238B (US$77.7M) in the first quarter of 2016, which represents a 360% improvement over the same period in 2015.

Colombia’s Superintendente de Sociedades (SuperSociedades) compiled a comparison of the income, profits and assets of the country’s largest 1000 companies, and the mining/hydrocarbons sector registered one of the biggest drops over the last year.

Led by the Barrancabermeja Mayor’s office and Senator Jorge Robledo, the municipality held a its second “Forum for the Defense of Water and Ecosystems” and charged that fracking is the new threat against Middle Magdalena’s water supply.

A dispute with a corporation of community action committees (JACs) in Acacías has led to blockades, threats against workers and even fuel filled bottles being thrown at Ecopetrol’s (NYSE:EC) drilling equipment which is destined for the Chichimene field.

Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) announced a national campaign which looks to recognize projects which are leading the way in innovation and competitiveness in issues that directly affect oil producing regions. This and other stories related to Corporate Social Responsibility in our periodic summary.