Calgary-based Canacol Energy explores the potential for fracking in the Magdalena Medio region of Colombia

Blockade of the ConocoPhillips/Canacol Energy VMM-2 block in September 2016. Click here to register for a webinar on Thursday April 29 at 2:30 pm COT/3:30 pm EDT with Colombian environmental defenders opposed to fracking.

On April 21, Valora Analitik reported: “Canacol Energy announced today the first results of an independent prospective evaluation of resources in the VMM 2 and VMM 3 blocks prepared by [Calgary-based] Boury Global Energy Consultants (BGEC) in the Magdalena Medio basin, one of the main areas identified to develop fracking pilots in Colombia.”

Canacol CEO Charle Gamba says: “BGEC’s independent assessment of the prospective unconventional resources reaffirms the materiality and significant potential of Canacol’s unconventional shale oil blocks.”

Gamba further says that he sees the approval of the ExxonMobil Platero and Ecopetrol Kale fracking pilot projects “to be positive steps towards realizing the commercial potential of the unconventional shale oil field in Colombia and specifically for the resources prospects that we have through our position in the Middle Magdalena Valley basin.”

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.”

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.

April 29 webinar with Colombian opponents of fracking

As this Canadian company explores the potential for fracking, environmental defenders continue to be threatened in the Magdalena Medio region of Colombia. On Thursday April 29, our webinar will feature these four Colombian environmental defenders: Ivan Madero, Oscar Sampayo, Yuvelis Natalia Morales and Yuli Velasquez.

Click here to register for this fully bilingual webinar.