Calgary-based Canacol Energy Ltd. CEO acknowledges communities “heavily opposed” to fracking in Colombia

Charle Gamba, Canacol CEO

On March 19, Canacol CEO Charle Gamba responded to a question about fracking in Colombia during a conference call with investors.

A fracking pilot project contract has already been awarded to Ecopetrol for its Kale project near Puerto Wilches in the Magdalena Medio region. A second contract is expected to be awarded on April 8 to ExxonMobil (and Toronto-based Sintana Energy) for its Platero project, which is also situated in the Magdalena Medio region.

Gamba stated: “The regulatory environment at the moment is favorable for these fracking pilots. By no means does that ensure that, they will be able to execute them without difficulty, especially from the communities who remain heavily opposed to fracking from an environmental perspective.”

Prior to this, Canacol had appeared ready to frack in Colombia.

Canacol holds a 20 per cent stake in the VMM-2/Plata and VMM-3/Piranga projects. ConocoPhillips holds the remaining 80 per cent stake. In September 2020, Gamba told La Republica: “We have two unconventional oil blocks that we have located in Magdalena Medio for eight years to pilot fracking. We are awaiting the regulatory framework.”

But by March of this year, Argus Media reported that while Canacol had been expected to apply for a fracking pilot project, it was “still on the sidelines for now.”

Canacol had previously attempted to frack the Plata and Piranga sites in 2016. An estimated 9,000 people marched in San Martin, Cesar in opposition to this. There was even a community blockade of their exploration site. Residents reportedly faced stigmatization, police brutality and criminalization. Those permits were eventually revoked because Piranga did not meet minimum conditions and Plata raised water protection concerns.

Gamba now seemingly acknowledges “the communities who remain heavily opposed to fracking from an environmental perspective.”

Last month, an Oil Barometer poll found that 73 per cent of Colombians would not agree with fracking being carried out in their municipality and that 69 per cent of people in Puerto Wilches also disagree with fracking.

To date, it is unclear if Sintana Energy Inc. executives have similarly acknowledged community opposition and environmental concerns, or the dangers faced by environmental defenders in the Magdalen Medio region and how the company intends to navigate their human rights obligations should it be awarded a contract on April 8.

Blockade of the ConocoPhillips/Canacol Energy VMM-2 block in September 2016.