After the failed ceasefire attempt between the National Government and the ELN, the threats and actions of this illegal group against the oil industry in the country, especially in the department of Arauca.
One of the most affected companies has been the Canadian Parex Resources, which on January 21 announced the closure of operations in the Capachos and Arauca blocks, after receiving Threats from the ELN’s eastern war front regarding its operations in the region.
(Also read: Parex Resources is producing less oil after threats from the Eln in Arauca)
This paralysis affects the company’s production, transportation, drilling, construction and well maintenance activities, in addition to impacting more than 600 jobsincluding 430 from the local community.
Likewise, Parex Resources said that they are stopping production of approximately 6,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) and it is being seen that they can harm the rate at which new wells are drilled and put into operation in the municipalities of Tame and Saravena.
We ask the Government to intervene to stop the threats to the oil operation that creates problems for the needs of households that use LPG for cooking
The Capachos block supplies 80 percent of the demand for LPG (gas in pipettes) for the department of Arauca and as a result of the paralysis of operations, the distributors must go to supply themselves to the Cusiana and Cupiagua and Termoyopal fields, located in the Casanare.
According to the president of the Colombian LPG Association (Gasnova), Alejandro Martínez Villegas, this situation has led to the price is increased of this fuel for the Araucanians.
For this reason, it asked the National Government to intervene so that «threats to the oil operation that generates problems for the needs of households that use the LPG for cooking«.
But Parex Resources has not been the only company affected. sierracolwhich operates the Caño Limón field – one of the most important in Colombia – also suspended its activities in the municipalities of Arauca and Arauquita due to the threats it received from the ELN.
«All supply, transportation and other business activities with this SierraCol company will be suspended until further notice. Any company or employee who disregards this notification will be in serious trouble with the organization. We do not want to use force to attend to their care,» says the ELN pamphlet.
(Also read: Guilds ask Petro to call the unit and warn of risks from the marches)
ELN pamphlet against SierraCol
Added to this is the fact that last weekend there was a attack against the infrastructure of the Caño Limón Coveñas pipeline, at the height of the village El Consuelo, rural area of the municipality of Saravena. The act would have been perpetrated, apparently, by ELN guerrillas.
Cenit, a subsidiary of Ecopetrol and who is in charge of the transportation infrastructure, also denounced that «unknown third parties» illegally retained five workers of the contractor company Ismocol who were going to repair the damage to the pipeline.
In addition, a low bed that supported the repair work was burned. The company also reported that the workers were released on the same Saturday, February 11.
Last week, and after eight days, a blockade was lifted in the municipality of Puerto Gaitán (Meta), which was weakening the operations of Ecopetrol, Frontera Energy, Cepsa, Hocol and Tecpetrol, in addition to putting at risk the production of close to 50,000 barrels of oil per day and the supply of liquid fuels in the country.
The blockade came to an end thanks to the Agreement between the National Government and the communitiesthat granted guarantees for non-judicialization and non-stigmatization to representatives of the communities that were participating in the protests.
Gold production blockades in Buriticá
Mining operations in the department of Antioquia are also being affected, but due to blockades by residents of the area. The Zijin-Continental Gold company – which operates the Buriticá project – announced that on February 10 a group of people began a blocking that has prevented the passage of vehicles that transport people and food, in addition to the governor the passage to the community and employees.
Our are in complete normality and operating in accordance with current regulations on safety in mining work.
The people who are present at the main gate, located in the La Estrella sector, and on the industrial road of the business operation that leads to the company’s facilities and camp say «alleged damages by the company to people engaged in illegal miningwho carry out their activities in an anti-technical manner and without any industrial security mechanism».
Zijin-Continental Gold verified that it has not shown any situation affecting third parties in its operation, nor has he received any call for help or notification about people trapped in mining areas of the company.
«Our operations are completely normal and operating in accordance with current regulations on safety in mining work and under the protocols established and approved by the competent authorities,» he said.
(Also read: Week of blockades in La Guajira due to lack of transportation and school meals)
In addition, the company stated that this blockade of the access road is an invasion of private property. totally threaten its operation due to lack of personnel and inputs, which generates a high economic impact and affects the stability of employment of around 1,400 direct employees and 2,500 contractors.
Zijin-Continental Gold also reported that in recent months there has been a considerable increase in unauthorized miners in the company’s infrastructure, the vast majority of whom are foreigners and do not belong to the Buriticá community. «Our underground mining works are invaded by illegal mining«, he claimed.
These activities have left five people deceased and they have caused serious injuries to seven miners (one of them 17 years old) in anti-technical and illegal tunnels in the territory, in the last seven months. All of them affected by gas inhalation and/or handling of explosives.
