Eight days after the report on hydrocarbon reserves was released – which revealed a loss in Colombia’s self-sufficiency – it was learned that the Government asked him to resign from Clara Liliana GuatamePresident of the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH).
This entity is attached to the Ministry of Mines and Energy and is in charge of Manage Colombia’s oil and natural gas resources and promote investment in exploration and exploitation activities.
(Also read: Colombia’s oil and natural gas reserves reach for fewer years)
Clara Guatamé, president of the ANH
With the departure of Clara Guatame three resignations of key and close officials are completed to the management of Minister Irene Vélez in less than five months.
The first was that of the Vice Minister of Energy, Belizza Ruizwho left office in January after learning about the bad relationship he had with the minister.
In addition to revealing that the hydrocarbon resources and contracts report used to justify that it was not necessary to sign new oil contracts it had serious technical, economic and methodological problems.
Five months after the departure of Belizza Ruiz, a proper deputy minister has not been appointed and the director of Energy, Cristián Díaz, continues as the manager.
Last March the resignation of the Vice Minister of Mines, Giovanny Franco, after several congressmen made a public complaint about the conflict of interest of this official due to the relationship he has with mining multinationals. In her replacement, Johana Rocha Gómez was appointed.
(Also read: The alarms that go off due to the low reserves of gas and oil that the country has)
Jamie Moreno. WEATHER Archive
According to the information known by Portafolio, it was the Minister of Mines and Energy, Irene Vélezwho asked the president of the ANH for a letter of resignation, who had been in office for six months.
The decision also comes shortly after the Minister of Finance, Ricardo Bonilla, stated that In six months a new reserve report will be madewhich include other findings.
Despite the fact that the ANH report includes them as contingent or prospective, depending on the case, Bonilla assured that the objective is to see if they can be transferred to reserves or not.
Colombia’s oil reserves to 2022.
This addition to reserves from contingents or prospective reserves typically takes years, as it requires a large amount of drilling and seismic activity to accurately determine the reservoirs and their potential. However, the minister assured that having made this new report the decision will be made whether or not to award new contracts.
Among the reasons that led Clara Guatame to be asked to resign is a low level of knowledge of the sectorthat had been evidenced by industry players.
However, it should be remembered that in the past the official had already worked in the entity as technical vice president in charge and manager of technical information and knowledge.
Another point made is its low communication with the actors of the sector and the low proactivity in its management.
(Also read: Despite the fall in reserves, the Government does not change its position on signing new contracts)
Colombian gas reserves by 2022.
To occupy his position within the sector, the name of andres camacho moraleswho has been an advisor to Minister Irene Vélez for 10 months, after being part of the UTL of Senator María José Pizarro.
Andrés Camacho is an engineer and candidate for a doctorate in engineering from the Francisco José de Caldas District University. His name also raises doubts in the sector because he has not worked directly in the sector and he worries about his “ideologization”according to sources consulted.
In fact, he pointed out that although technical terms are used, they are also often mixed with ideological positions. For the moment, the ANH has not expressed itself in this regard and it is expected that Clara Guatame presents her resignation letter in the coming days.
