The Colombia attorney general’s office launched an investigation April 2 to determine whether officials from state-run oil company Ecopetrol could be held criminally responsible for an oil spill of 550 barrels in Santander province.
The Lisama 158 well, which was in the process of being shut down because of low production, leaked crude into a ravine over a three-week period, contaminating the water and affecting animal and plant life.
“The investigation will seek to establish if individual officials from Ecopetrol were responsible and could be penalized” an official from the attorney general’s office told Reuters.
The country’s procurator general, which has the power to remove officials from their jobs, and the environmental licensing agency are also conducting investigations into the leak.
Ecopetrol CEO Felipe Bayon Pardo told journalists late April 2 the company will cooperate fully with all three investigations.
“We will do everything necessary to re-establish environmental and social conditions in the area. It’s our commitment and we will invest the human, financial and technological resources which are required,” Bayon said.
Recommended Reading
CEO Darren Woods: What’s Driving Permian M&A for Exxon, Other E&Ps
2024-03-18 - Since acquiring XTO for $36 billion in 2010, Exxon Mobil has gotten better at drilling unconventional shale plays. But it needed Pioneer’s high-quality acreage to keep running in the Permian Basin, CEO Darren Woods said at CERAWeek by S&P Global.
Analyst: Chevron Duvernay Shale Assets May Sell in $900MM Range
2024-01-29 - E&Ps are turning north toward Canadian shale plays as Lower 48 M&A opportunities shrink, and Chevron aims to monetize its footprint in Alberta’s Duvernay play.
Uinta Basin's XCL Seeks FTC OK to Buy Altamont Energy
2024-03-07 - XCL Resources is seeking approval from the Federal Trade Commission to acquire fellow Utah producer Altamont Energy LLC.
Chevron's Duvernay Sale Seen Attracting Mid-sized Canadian Shale Operators
2024-01-25 - As Chevron Corp. markets its Duvernay shale assets, the U.S. oil major is most likely to find a buyer among a handful of mid-sized Canadian firms looking to capitalize on the region.
Silver Hill Energy Enters Bakken with Liberty Resources Acquisition
2024-01-31 - Silver Hill Energy Partners LP is getting into the Bakken in North Dakota through the acquisition of Liberty Resources II.