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Another postponed decision and conflicting reports on the performance of Pacific Rubiales’ (TSX:PRE) secondary recovery technology Star have shrouded the project, which is the operator’s main bet for its namesake Rubiales field, in uncertainty.

Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) and four unions that fill its ranks have started the process to reach a new collective bargaining agreement. The last one was in place from 2009-2014 and Ecopetrol is optimistic that an agreement can be reached during direct talks.

After reaching an agreement that establishes the general terms of the negotiation for a new collective bargaining agreement, representatives from the USO and Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) started talks in Bogotá on Monday, July 14.

Ecopetrol’s (NYSE:EC) board of directors has delayed a meeting to review a technical report on Pacific Rubiales (TSX:PRE) STAR secondary recovery technology to this week, and the Minister of Mines and Energy Amylkar Acosta has promised a decision this month.

The Minister of Mines and Energy Amylkar Acosta says that Pacific Rubiales (TSX:PRE) is not interested in an extension of the association contract for its flagship field Rubiales, offering instead to install its STAR secondary recovery technology.

Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) published a summary of advances made following an agreement with the U’WA community that allowed it to access the damaged Coveñas/Caño Limón pipeline in May. The NOC says it has kept up its part of the bargain but indigenous leaders still oppose exploration activities in the area.

We originally thought it was just Pacific Rubiales (TSX:PRE) that had taken its shareholders on a ride this month but a closer look shows Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) on somewhat the same journey.

Major changes are taking place in the NOC’s organization, at least on paper, moving some power away from the presidential suite.

The ICP (Colombian Petroleum Institute) has been around for 29 years and now is looking at both expanding its capabilities and decentralizing its operations.

Long a drag on Ecopetrol’s margins, the NOC saw some improvements for its refining business as losses narrowed and the company increased the sales of products like asphalt and jet fuel. But questions still surround what has been the under-performer of the company’s operations.