Nubia Orozco Acosta has been sworn in to run the National Environmental Licensing Authority after its former director Luz Helena Sarmiento took the Environmental Minister’s role earlier this month.
Raven Pipeline Colombia, which operates small diameter pipelines, says it has advanced in socialization of its environmental plan, part of the process to obtain a license for its first Project in Colombia in the Paz de Ariporo municipality.
New technologies, off shore drilling and unconventional reserves must be actively harnessed and explored if Colombia is to maintain its oil production above a million barrels a day says Germán Arce, president of the National Hydrocarbons Agency ANH.
Luz Elena Sarmiento just got a promotion, moving from director of the National Environmental Licensing Agency (ANLA) to Colombia’s environmental minister. Here is a look at her past spent as an environmental specialist and community relations representative to the sector’s greatest powers.
In Yopal a tanker-truck spilled raw crude while leaving the municipality and the spill reaction team took hours to respond. Instead local firefighters and a team from the Bicentennial Pipeline (OBC) has to intervene to clean up the mess.
Ecopetrol (NYSE: EC) started the second phase of the socialization process for its Odisea 3D seismic exploration project, holding meetings and environmental workshops in three villages in Casanare. Its seismic exploration in the area has come under fire and been blamed in local press for causing damage to the environment, in particular to rivers.
Colombian senator Alexander López has called for a public forum this week to analyze seismic exploration conducted by oil companies near water sources, which he alleges are causing grave damage to the environment in Casanare, Meta and Arauca.
The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development has announced the continuation of a responsible water use campaign as well as dates in September to clean water bodies and sources in 9 Colombian cities.
A feature article in national newspaper accuses Ecopetrol of contributing to environmental contamination in Meta while the central government continues to approve projects in regions without fully understanding their consequences.
Members of municipal authorities questioned plans to extend the Carmentea Pipeline near the city of Yopal and accused oil operators in the region of not respecting rural communities and the environment.