Equion Energy president María Victoria Riaño said that the company is passing through a complex moment and is finishing a round of layoffs to cut costs. She also lamented the slow progress and community problems that prevented seismic exploration during the boom times when prices were high.
After a necessary change in the rules, which allowed individuals access to the recently-opened Mexican oil market, and after two disappointing Round One auctions, the third phase was held yesterday (December 15, 2015). All 25 available contracts were awarded, making it is the most successful round so far.
Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) says that it will deepen its spending cuts and austerity program and reduce its investments in 2016 to US$4.8B, in a plan that looks to keep production at a similar level of 2015.
For the first time, The National Planning Department (DNP) held an awards session to recognize the best use of royalty funds in an initiative called “Well Invested Royalties”, with top honors going to a governor and three mayors. This and other royalty related stories in our periodic summary.
Both Promigás and Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) have received recognition for community programs and innovation, while the NOC says it has also successfully finished a number of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs in Huila and Nariño. These and other stories on CSR in our periodic summary.
Illegal mining and the clearing of lands for grazing has been fingered as a main cause for deforestation, while in Casanare a number of community conflicts are brewing over environmental issues. These and other environmental stories in our periodic summary.