News and AnalysIs for

This graffiti adorns a 20-meter wall on Bogotá’s busy Septima (Carrera 7 / 7^Th Avenue) in the heart of the capital’s elite neighborhood. It is virtually impossible that politicians, media types and other opinion leaders have not seen it or will not see it over the coming weeks. The inauguration of President Iván Duque has certainly reignited the debate over unconventional technologies.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) took a decision on the Short-Term Natural Gas Supply Plan. The entity published the proposed document again.

Maria Fernanda Suarez, Minister of Mines and Energy (MinMinas), created a debate about the possibility of implementing unconventional techniques such as fracking in Colombia. Experts talked about this alternative.

With seven new infrastructure projects, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) looks to strengthen the reliability of natural gas supply in Colombia.

The National Association of Entrepreneurs (ANDI) conducted a study to analyze the 64 territorial comptroller’s offices around the country on the use of public resources; results are worrying especially in royalties. Edgardo Maya Villazón, Comptroller General of Colombia, spoke on the results of this research.

The union’s president, César Loza, spoke with the press about what he wants to achieve through the negotiations.

There was considerable debate among industry watchers about whether companies spent the Capex they expected to in the first half of 2018 or held the money back. As usual every case is different – and we had to make some assumptions — but it looks like they spent as expected or more, except ECP.

There is no hotter political topic in the industry at this time than unconventionals with both the Ministers of Environment and Mines and Energy making declarations recently indicating a more open approach than that of the previous government. As might be expected, this has ‘unleashed the hounds of war’ from the anti-fracking side. Here well-known geophysicist and frequent contributor Jaime Checa gives his view, rational and balanced as always, scarce attributes in today’s world.

Julio César Vera, president of the Colombian Association of Petroleum Engineers (Acipet), spoke about the importance of fracking to assure the country’s self-sufficiency.

According to the outgoing director of Colombia’s National Planning Department (DNP), Luis Fernando Mejía, the only sustainable way to achieve Colombia’s growth, is the Green Growth.