Colombia oil output down by 49,500 bpd on roadblock, companies say

Frontera Energy

06/02/2023 12:38

BOGOTA, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Energy companies operating in
Colombia, including majority state-owned oil company Ecopetrol,
on Monday raised concerns about a roadblock in the country's
Meta province, which led to prodcution cuts of more than 49,500
barrels of oil per day. 
    The roadblock is impeding movement on the road between
Puerto Gaitan and Rubiales, preventing fuel from reaching oil
operations, companies said in a joint statement sent to
journalists by Ecopetrol and private operators' group the
Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP). 
    More than 5,332 oil workers and their families have been
negatively impacted by the protest, which has continued for
seven days, the statement said. 
    "The social and economic impacts are enormous," the
statement said, citing the impact on oil production as well as
delays moving food and other good. 
    Signatories included Ecopetrol's subsidiary Hocol, as well
as Spanish oil company Cepsa  CPF.GQ  and Canadian producer
Frontera Energy. 
    The protests are also impacting operations at refineries in
the cities of Cartagena and Barrancabermeja, the companies said,
putting Colombia's fuel supplies at risk. 
    The energy ministry and the national police did not
immediately respond to requests for comment.
    In late January Ecopetrol said it would reduce output at its
Barrancabermeja refinery to 210,000 bpd, from 230,000 bpd,
because of farmer protests in Magdalena Medio.
 (Reporting by Oliver Griffin, Editing by Louise Heavens)
 ((Oliver.Griffin@thomsonreuters.com; +57 304-583-8931;))