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.
Colombia’s new Minister of Environment (MinAmbiente), Ricardo Lozano, and new Minister of Mines and Energy (MinMinas), Maria Fernanda Suarez, openly spoke about the controversial topic of fracking.
The National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) spoke about what must be done to assure the success of the industry in Colombia.
Environmental compensation of the oil sector has been a difficult issue to develop in the country, but it seems like this topic is thriving, and the environment will be the main beneficiary. Parex announced an important environmental compensation project in the department of Casanare.
Orlando Cabrales, President of Naturgas, wrote an article, in the business newspaper La República, about the proposal to subsidize the purchase of propane cylinders throughout the country.
Ricardo José Lozano was appointed as the new Minister of Environment (MinAmbiente).
The bottom-line for a company are its profits and/or stock market performance. But we try to take a policy perspective so our bottom-line is production and reserves. Both were rather naturally affected by the oil-price crisis and so, maybe, “nobody’s fault”. The current industry question is how fast things have reacted to upward price signals and whether policy plays a role in that. Call it the U-curve.
2026, Hydrocarbons Colombia, All Rights Reserved.
