News and AnalysIs for

The National Government failed to receive about CoP$23.6T due to the oil price drop and the sector crisis affected everyone. In September 2015, the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) announced improvements and incentives to boost the sector. Nearly a year-and-a-half later, finally, the new regulation has been approved.

Huila’s inhabitants showed their rejection against this year’s fuel surcharge in the department.

Liberal Senator Luis Fernando Velasco, expressed his rejection towards this year’s fuel surcharge, which he classified as “illegal and unfair” to Colombians’ finances.

Cases of royalties’ mismanagement have increased in the country putting 10,000 projects in state of vulnerability, but the High Court is taking measures against corruption cases and already condemned three former officials in Meta, and the OCAD said there are 84 projects ready in the country. The development of these and other stories in our periodic summary.

Two officials from Ecopetrol and one from the UIS Alliance are part of the eight Colombians certified in the organic petrography technique.

The Colombian Chamber of Petroleum Goods and Services (Campetrol) is optimistic about this year. The association believes that oil activity and investment will recover. Campetrol’s optimism is based on an analysis by the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP).

The National Planning Department (DNP) initiated a process to modernize the Planes de Ordenamiento Territorial (POT) in the country. Many municipalities with oil activity are part of this process and must adjust to the new rules.

Although the government has been promoting the diversification of Colombia’s economy since last year, the new president of the Colombian Chamber of Petroleum Goods and Services (Campetrol), Germán Espinosa, said the country should not stop investing in the industry because it has considerably boosted its economy.

Colombia is not an oil-country but has the potential to be self-sustaining in the medium and long term, according to a study of the Geo Sciences Department of the National University. Carlos Alberto Vargas Jiménez led this research.

President Juan Manuel Santos said the High Councilor for the Regions, Carlos Correa, proposed making the General System of Royalties (SGR) more flexible and with this, allow infrastructure projects that are being developed in the regions be done with more agility.