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Most of the General System of Royalties (SGR) budget goes to the areas of infrastructure, education, culture, sport and recreation, mines and energy, and agriculture.

Representatives of the oil sector met with the President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos and senior government officials to talk about the industry.

The National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA) hosted a public hearing to discuss the proposal for exploratory activities in the Marteja area, which has influence on the municipalities of San Vicente de Chucurí, Barrancabermeja and El Carmen de Chucurí (Santander).

During a successful project approval marathon (‘ocadtón’) session, the Collegiate Bodies of Administration and Decision (OCAD) gave the green light to develop several projects throughout the country. These and other stories in our periodic Royalties summary.

The Government will investigate recruitment processes in the oil sector, as there have been complaints about possible irregularities. Griselda Janeth Restrepo, Minister of Labor (MinTrabajo), spoke about the government’s actions to judge this situation.

The National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) will offer exploratory blocks located in the Colombian Caribbean coast. Orlando Velandia, President of the ANH, spoke about this.

The Colombian Association of Petroleum Engineers (Acipet) said that the Minister of Environment (MinAmbiente) Luis Gilberto Murillo, lacks information and sense of opportunity after saying that Colombia is not ready to develop fracking.

The boom of anti-oil and mining referendums has created a lot of legal uncertainty in Colombia. The government aims to regulate this mechanism, but several associations have come out against this intention.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce together with Norton Rose Fulbright, hosted an event to discuss the industry’s situation in the world and the impact of Agreement 02 in Colombia. National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), Canacol (TSX: CNE) and Parex (TSE: PXT) representatives attended the event.

The oil industry has repeatedly said that the development of Unconventional Deposits (UC) is the way to guarantee self-sufficiency in the long term. The Ministry of Environment (MinAmbiente) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) have different views on this issue.