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October 3, 2012 From an Ecopetrol press release published on the MinMinas site. Translated and with commentary by Hydrocarbons Colombia.

From a MinMinas press release. Translated and with commentary by Hydrocarbons Colombia.

MME, Bogotá DC, October 1, 2012. Thirty eight investment projects in transport, health, education, culture, environmental and agricultural development, among others, were approved by the College of Management and Decision (OCAD) held in the department of Arauca.

October 2, 2012 Petroamericas issued a press release updating its Colombian operations both exploration and production. Highlights include

The head of the Colombian Transporters Confederation, Jorge Ignacio Garcia, told RCN Radio yesterday that the association’s 50,000 members had “turned off their motors” indefinitely because of a CoP$76 (US$0.04) increase in the price of a gallon of gasoline and CoP$111.60 (US$0.06) per gallon of diesel fuel. In Bogotá, the price of a gallon of diesel is US$4.58. (Unusually for a country which otherwise uses the metric system, gasoline prices are quoted per US gallon which is about 4 liters.)

The Colombian National Police report significant reductions in crime  in the month of September resulting from plan “Green Heart”. They report various categories of crime were down both month over month and year over year, in some categories as much as 80%. Bank robberies were zero in September. They report 71 captures during the month.

Gold Oil published its 1H2012 results and it is clear that it needs partners quickly. The company has an interest in the Azar block (operated by Gran Tierra) and operates the Nancy Burdine block under an arrangement with Ecopetrol. Both blocks are in Putumayo. The company also has interests in Peru.