An environmentalist group (La Mesa Hídríca del Piedemonte) which focuses on water issues in the Meta Department, has gathered and submitted 20,000 signatures rejecting oil production work in the nearby Lorito 1 well, in the Guamal municipality.
Incidents near areas of interest to the oil and gas industry were up 12% this week at 28 but still below recent and long-term averages. Non-Armed Forces incidents were slightly above the long-term average. This is our indicator of increased guerrilla-initiated activity. Correspondingly, our 4-week Moving Average incident count was down to 29.0 and the 52 week average was down at 32.9 incidents per week.
This month the centerpiece is a debate between Pacific Rubiales José Francisco Arata and environmentalist Juan Pablo Ruiz Soto on the issue of whether extractive industries are incompatible with sound environmental management: well worth reading.
Estimates from Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) are that upcoming phases of the current modernization work at the Barrancabermeja Refinery will employ up to 5000 people at its peak of activity in 2014.
A forum organized by social activist Ólder Alexis Cáceres on conflict and policies on natural resources claims hydrocarbons reform to protect natural resources is a must for lasting peace. Resources must be protected from profit-driven private industry, activists argue.
Senator Maritza Martínez said during a senate debate that the environmental and social damage caused by exploration and production in Arauca, Casanare and Meta are a cause of concern and create the need for public referendums like the one scheduled in Tauramena, Casanare.