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The Association of Large Energy Consumers (Asoenergia) says a planned regasification plant for Cartagena does little to address the energy issues, and called on the government to follow through with a reform of the distribution of the “reliability charge”.

The Bank of Bogotá produced a report in which it detailed the impact of four different oil price scenarios, and how these would affect the Colombian peso to US dollar exchange rate exchange rate, and as a result, government finances.

Former head of the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) and now a university professor in Scotland, Armando Zamora says that communities, the government and the industry must be clear that the oil bonanza has ended, and that we are entering “the third age of oil”.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy has lowered fuel prices in February, and highlighted the falling fuel prices over the last year.

The Chamber of Oil Goods and Services (Campetrol) has published a graph which shows the average production cost per barrel of crude of the world’s largest 20 oil producers, Colombia’s average cost is US$35.30/barrel. This makes it the seventh most expensive producer.

Speculation has risen in the local press that the high proportion of heavy crude in Colombia and Venezuela means that already operators are selling oil below the cost of producing it.

The Finance Minister Mauricio Cárdenas gave an interview in the World Economic Forum’s annual Davos meeting and insisted that Colombia’s economy is successfully weathering the turbulence of the continued fall in oil prices. Meanwhile back in Colombia, doubts arise as to how to finance the government’s National Development Plan.

Senate President Luis Fernando Velasco has again called on the government to lower prices and accept a court ruling from December 2015 which deemed a fuel price stabilization tax from the last tax reform was not properly vetted. He says it would lower the fuel prices by CoP$1000 (US$0.30).

The headlines this week scream “Oil hits US$30!” noting that this was the first time this had happened in 12 years. There are lots of ‘oil prices’ but the benchmark most used by Colombian E&P producers, Brent, did indeed finish Tuesday at US$30.72 and closed today at US$30.26. The tendencies are worrying.

The government announced that fuel prices for January 2016 would increase slightly for gasoline and drop slightly for diesel. But five days later the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) said that shortages of ethanol have forced it to adjust the mixture, and also the price. Fuel distributors allege that this has caused them losses.