News and AnalysIs for

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.

The Colombian Chamber of Petroleum Goods and Services (Campetrol) organized a workshop to talk about tax reform. HCC was present at the event; we have a brief summary of the meeting.

President Juan Manuel Santos asked MinHacienda Mauricio Cárdenas and MinMinas Germán Arce, to meet with Colombia’s mayors and governors to resolve the ‘controversy’ that changes to the gasoline surcharge has aroused.

Many opinions have come out after the decision of the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MinMinas) to reduce the gas surcharge. German Arce, MinMinas, explained his rational.