Multiple sources in the Colombian news media reported that Ecopetrol awarded business group Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) a contract to build, maintain and operate two power lines that will transport electricity to the Barrancabermeja refinery. In the coming days, EPM will begin environmental procedures for the construction project, which will have a 230,000-volt substation and 250-MW-capacity lines 10-kilometers long .
As reported by newspaper Portafolio, a delegation of UK Export Finance, the United Kingdom’s Export Credit Agency, visited Colombia in order to explore possible investments in the country in the areas of infrastructure, mining, oil and gas. The agency also provides financing services to Colombian companies that want to purchase equipment from British companies.
An Argentinian Justice ratified the foreclosure of US$19B against Chevron for causing environmental damage in Ecuador’s Amazon. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Pablo Fajardo, said that Chevron “has to pay or deposit (in a bank account in favor of the plaintiffs), each month, 40% of all its revenues in Argentina”. The plaintiffs claim to have been victims of contamination caused by Texaco, later acquired by Chevron, between 1964 and 1990.
The Ecuadorian state-owned oil company is in Bogotá looking for partners to develop three blocks in that country from the Southeast Round. Canacol is one Colombian-focused oil and gas company that has property in the country. Now Petroamazonas wants more. From a Ecuadorian government news agency report, translated and with commentary by Hydrocarbons Colombia.
It was a slow news week for the Colombian petroleum workers union (USO). The only item was this one about the USO taking up the environmental cause against Ecopetrol. Forgive our cynicism but we doubt if the USO has suddenly to the cause of clean water. More likely they are looking for leverage on some other issue or it is part of a broader strategy to disconnect the industry from the community. The irony of course is that MinMinas Federico Renjifo went to the same area within the past few weeks and praised Ecopetrol’s environmental management.
Incidents were back down this week to 50 but a number of high-profile kidnappings got the country’s attention. Our 4-week Moving Average up another 15% and it now sits at 51 incidents per week, back where it was at the beginning of November last year although still down from a peak of 58 back in October.
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