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A study from an energy consultancy found that the Colombian thermoelectric sector only has 34% of the natural gas it needs to purchase to produce the country’s energy during the El Niño weather phenomenon.

“This government does not believe in the agriculture sector as a motor of development” said that executive president of the Colombian Association of Oil Goods and Services (Campetrol) Rubén Darío Lizarralde, an area where the association is looking to lessen the economic dependence on the oil industry.

The Meta governor Alan Jara says he has told the national government that the OCAD controlling bodies which approve royalty projects “continue to be a disaster and a centralist and inefficient model”.

Delegates from the Interior Ministry (MinInterior) left the comforts of Bogotá behind to meet with local authorities and members of the oil industry in Middle Magadalena as part of a plan to develop a strategy to confront social conflict, and also gave attention to contraband fuel on the border with Venezuela.

Rumors swirl that formal talks between the ELN guerrilla and the government are getting closer, but the group still lashed out this week and killed two soldiers. Ecuador says it can host these discussions.

The Ministry of Environment (MinAmbiente) held its account rendering session for the year, and defined ambitious goals for reductions in greenhouse gases and expanding the amount of protected areas in Colombia, among other initiatives.

Changes proposed by the Energy & Gas Regulation Commission (CREG) that would reduce payments from the “reliability charges” to thermal generators were rejected by this industry and now the companies have stepped up their protests, saying it puts the country at risk of blackouts and could be illegal.

The growing demand for Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) could quicken if new vehicles for the transport industry become available, but the process to receive tax benefits for the “cleaner” vehicles and questions on supply hold the market back.

Municipal authorities of Arauca are alleging that Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) has been favored in local zoning ordinances, which they say were designed to let the NOC continue with its expansion of Caño Limon facilities.

The Energy and Gas Regulation Commission (CREG) rendered accounts to a public audience and released its management report, highlighting the new market manager for the natural gas industry.