The new Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development (MinAmbiente) Gabriel Vallejo has made his first public addresses to the congress and the national park service, giving the first glimpse into the authority’s priorities under his watch. Bottlenecks in environmental licensing were not mentioned.
A rigorous regulatory framework proceeded the approval of fracking techniques says the Minister of Mines and Energy Tomás González (MinMinas) who looks to counter critics which have filled the media over the last two weeks.
The General Controller’s office has gone through a roller coaster ride over the last week, but made sure to remind the government on the risks of oil production that utilizes fracking, due to its potential environmental impact.
A decision on whether or not Ecopetrol will take over the production contract of the Rubiales field will not be made until the middle of 2015, and the president of Ecopetrol Javier Gutiérrez has told the Senate that the NOC is capable of operating the field on its own.
Casanare congressional representative Jorge Abril Tarache addressed a congressional session and rejected the use of fracking techniques in Casanare, which he says has suffered the environmental impact of the oil industry, as well as the loss of royalties, damage by tanker trucks and more.
Senator Maritza Martínez has presented a legislative bill that would modify the General Royalty System (SGR) kicking off a debate on the original reform of the royalty law, a frequent target of criticisms from producing regions.
Vice Minister of Energy Orlando Cabrales continued his push to articulate the government’s plan to see that contracts worth nearly US$6B from the Rounds 2012 and 2014 are implemented, improve community relationships and the reserve supply while they are at it.
Hardly a term used in anti-oil circles two weeks ago, a campaign against fracking has made its way to Meta from Huila as it receives attention from Colombia’s green party as well.
For the next Colombia Round, the Colombian Society of Geology says the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) should auction blocks with pre-approved environmental licenses, in order to lessen the potential impact of a process that has become one of the greater obstacles towards exploration and production in the country.
Vice Minister of Energy Orlando Cabrales took the government’s opinion on fracking to the press in a column, defending the practice as necessary to maintain production and in turn development.
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