There were small signs of advances in the talks with the Farc this week, with the final details of some of the most delicate issues -referendums, Farc prisoners abroad and the post-conflict judicial process- in discussion.
Government officials from Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia and Mexico met to discuss cooperation and craft a common message ahead of an OPEC meeting on April 17. Colombia was represented by the Minister of Mines and Energy Lorena GutiƩrrez.
The Llanos Orientales and the Meta Department in particular lead the country in royalty irregularities according to an audit performed by the General Controller (CGR) in the second half of 2015.
In 2012 Canacol Energy (TSX:CNE) made a shift away form crude production to natural gas after buying Shona Energy. Its CEO Charle Gamba said at the time the idea was to gain a bit of stability, and today that decision has paid off.
Although there has been a slight recovery of oil prices to the high US$30 range, analysts believe that Colombian operators need prices at US$45 or higher to reactivate stalled exploration activity.
The Energy and Mining Planning Unit (UPME) has been moving forward with plans to tender the expansion of gas pipelines to improve the supply of the gas, and now details on the organization of the eventual network have emerged as well.