Photo: File PortafolioOil companies are asking for an environmental permit to explore in the Eastern Plains, middle and lower valley of the Magdalena, the interior of the country and the Caribbean Sea.In the past two months, a dozen oil companies began proceedings before the Ministry of Environment to obtain permits to those who may carry out further exploration in different parts of the country. Ecopetrol, Cepcolsa, Emerald, Ramshorn, Petrolifera, Pacific Stratus, Thorneloe, Columbus Energy and Nexen listed and their dynamics in environmental issues began to show signs that this year more than 110 new exploratory wells will be in full operation, such as it has predicted the Colombian Chamber of oil services (Campetrol).
The cascade of permits is consistent with the record of contracts for oil exploration and production of signing the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) in 2009, a period when it reached 58 agreements. This year the figure is barely seven contracts, but also expected to pick up even higher than 2009, when the same agency contracts formalize the recent Colombia Round 2010, which presented 78 proposals for allocation of more blocks.Over 100 exploratory wells by the end of this year is a likely target to meet if one considers that until August and there were 78 new wells in operation.
1) Cepcolsa will explore in Casanare
In early August, Cepsa Colombia SA (Cepcolsa) applied environmental license to drill in the Llanos Block 26, located in the municipalities of Mani, Aguazul, Tauramena and El Yopal (Casanare). According to the Bureau of Licenses, Permits and Procedures Environmental Ministry, the license area of this project overlaps with the block Strings, which was granted an environmental license in March 1999 to Omimex Colombia, now in the hands of Solana Petroleum.
2) Emerald Energy, licensed to search for oil in the Amazon
On 30 August last the Minambiente issued Resolution 1685 which determined the removing, temporarily, an area of 67.8 hectares of forest reserve area of the Colombian Amazon. Thus, authorized the development of exploration activities Ombú draft South durum, the company Emerald Energy PLC Sucursal Colombia. The ministry ordered the company to introduce a compensation program referred to the ecological restoration of the area to evaluate and determine approval.
3) Ecopetrol took steps to projects in the Caribbean and Llanos
Two projects are being processed by Ecopetrol for which environmental permits are issued. One corresponds to the area of marine exploration drilling in block North Fort, located in the Caribbean Sea and is part of his campaign Offshore from 2010 to 2011. The company also filed for an environmental permit for exploratory drilling in the area of Mage, in the municipality of Puerto Gaitán (Meta). In this case, the administrative act that advances the ministry had to be notified Cormacarena, among other officials. For both projects yet to be determined the outcome of the proceedings.
4) Pacific goes further ground
A procedure for the modification of an environmental license granted in July 2001 was requested by Pacific Stratus Energy. The purpose of the company is obtaining permits to expand the area of oil production operations in the field fan, located in the municipality of Espinal, Tolima. This procedure is sent notifying the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Cundinamarca and Cortolima.
5) Two more areas Orocue
The Minambiente initiated a process to modify an environmental permit granted in 2005 to exploratory drilling project Oriole block in the town of Orocue, Casanare. The application was filed by Columbus Energy, which was sold to the said project after that belonged to Mr. Conequipos Ltd. The process involves the approval of two more areas of interest: New Island New Island in March and July.
6) is prepared in Casanare Thorneloe
The company called Energy Thorneloe environmental permit to explore in the San Antonio area, which is part of the exploratory drilling project LLA33 block, located in the town of Mani, Casanare. Permission was asked in late July 2010 and the company he was Incoder required a certificate on the existence of territories entitled to Indian reservations in the area surrounding the project.
7) On-going plan Ramshorn
For Ramshorn International, the company began to roll the environmental licensing process of LL-17 exploratory project in the municipalities of Trinidad and Peace Ariporo Pore (Casanare). If the license area overlaps with protected areas or areas that already have environmental permit, the company should amend its application to the provisions of the law to these cases.
8 ) Petrolifera Petroleum asks to extend the permit in Magdalena
A Canadian firm Petrolifera Petroleum passed a request to the Ministry of Environment to authorize it exploratory drilling new wells in the leaflet ‘Brilliant Southeast’, which had already been licensed in February 2009. The project is located in the municipalities of Ariguaní, Santa Anita and Pijin del Carmen, in the department of Magdalena.
To start the new procedures, the company had to request the update of environmental studies of the prospectus to the Autonomous Regional Corporation of the Magdalena (CORPAMAG). In March this year, the company announced the discovery of natural gas in the SE-1X well Bright in the Sierra Nevada block, which is near the towns of Foundation and The Hard, also in the department of Magdalena. Besides Colombia, the company has operations in Argentina and Peru.
9) support to Columbus
The Minambiente gave free rein to the sale of environmental license which was granted to Winchester Oil And Gas Company SA, in March this year and which was amended in July, for the exploration block ‘Jagüeyes A, Sector 1 A’ . This project is located in the municipality of Paz de Ariporo, Casanare, and the assignment is made in favor of Columbus Energy.
10) Close to also explore hydrocarbons Guatavita
The draft Northern Area Sueva exploration block, located in the municipalities of Guasca, Guatavita and Junin (Cundinamarca), did not require the submission of an environmental analysis, which is why the Ministry of Environment set the terms of reference for the elaboration of the respective environmental impact study. Assorted that process, began the process of environmental permit requested by the company Nexen Petroleum.
Google Translate
[...] Avila Capital Markets, Inc. пишет: This year the figure is barely seven contracts, but also expected to pick up even higher than 2009, when the same agency contracts formalize the recent Colombia Round 2010, which presented 78 proposals for allocation of more blocks. … The Minambiente gave free rein to the sale of environmental license which was granted to Winchester Oil And Gas Company SA, in March this year and which was amended in July, for the exploration block ‘Jagüeyes A, Sector 1 A’ . … [...]