Colombian fracking edges closer to reality
Mindful of the country's energy security, the government is looking towards its shale assets
Colombian president Ivan Duque is no stranger to controversy. His attempts to alter a landmark war crimes tribunal this year, the special jurisdiction for peace (JEP), were sizeably defeated in the House of Representatives, only for cross-party disputes to return the veto back to the Constitutional Court. Now he aims to resurrect an equally contentious issue: fracking. Colombia has mooted fracking for several years. In 2014, the government offered up several shale blocks for auction, but no licenses were approved. This year, two shale pilot projects were shelved by licensing authority Anla after operators US independent ConocoPhilips (80pc stake) and Canada's Canacol (20pc stake) failed to m
Also in this section
24 December 2025
As activity in the US Gulf has stagnated at a lower level, the government is taking steps to encourage fresh exploration and bolster field development work
23 December 2025
The new government has brought stability and security to the country, with the door now open to international investment
23 December 2025
A third wave of LNG supply is coming, and with it a likely oversupply of the fuel by 2028
22 December 2025
Weakening climate resolve in the developed world and rapidly growing demand in developing countries means peak oil is still a long way away
