Colombia's public and private sectors will invest $160 million to explore 20 potential oil fields across the Andean nation this year, state-owned oil company Ecopetrol said in its bi-weekly magazine Carta Petrolera, published yesterday.

"Ecopetrol and its associates estimate total investments of $160 million in exploration activities," it said. Empresa Colombiana de Petroleo, or Ecopetrol, said the hike in exploration comes as Latin America's fifth largest oil exporter moves to reverse its decline in oil production, caused mostly by natural fall-off in output from mature fields.

Colombia needs to discover new wells or it could lose its self sufficiency by 2004, it said. Ecopetrol added the results of three oil exploration projects would be released by the end of 2001, including data on the U.S.-based Occidental Petroleum Corp's potential find of 2.20 billion barrels in reserves.

Oil is the biggest export revenue earner in Colombia, Latin America's fifth largest economy, which also ships nickel, coal and coffee abroad. But the oil industry has been hard by recent rebel attacks that have slashed production and caused companies to miss contractual export obligations.

Separately, Ecopetrol said yesterday Colombian oil output fell to 579,130 barrels per day in March, down from 723,500 in the same month last year amid rebel attacks along the 780-kilometre oil pipeline Cano Limon, run by Occidental.

Analysts estimate that Colombia has 37,000 million barrels in untapped reserves, but virtually all are located in unexplored regions of the country controlled by rebels fighting in Colombia's 37-year-old war.

Despite the conflict, enthusiasm over potential oil discoveries remains high. In 2000, Colombia signed 32 exploration contracts with multinational and local oil companies, compared with just one contract in 1999, due in large part to a cut in taxes on the industry due to changes in exploration licensing policy.

The most promising oil discovery prospect is the Samore block in northeastern Colombia, which is run by Occidental and has potential reserves of above 1 billion barrels. Other hopefuls include the Capochos and Iscana blocks, also located in northeastern Colombia, which have potential reserves of 900 million and 250 million barrels, respectively. Capochos is operated by Spain's Repson-YPF while Iscana is run by Hocol.
     
 

· Iraq exports at highest four-week average since November
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· Talisman back in takeover game with bid for Petromet
· Gas quietly steals spotlight from crude in race for cash
· ENI dismisses rumours of merger with Spain's Repsol
· Colombia to invest $160m to explore 20 fields
· Crude ends sharply up on U.S. gasoline fears
· Pertamina willing to offer LNG to China
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· Oil Briefs - Shell unit looks for new gas-to-liquids ventures

Your fiancee has got it all over that bimbo.

COLOMBIA - Colombian Threat Highlighted to US Congress

The US Commander for the Southern Command, General Peter Pace, told a House of Representatives committee April 6 that the “greatest threat to Colombian democracy” comes from the right-wing paramilitaries. Pace said he has evidence of cooperation between the Colombian army and the right-wing paramilitaries, although Colombian President Pastrana is trying to correct the situation. Pace then traveled to Colombia to explain the consequences to the military if they do not cut ties to the paramilitaries. Also on April 6, FBI agents and State Department and private security experts testified before a House Subcommittee that Americans are running a serious risk if they live, visit or have commercial interests in Colombia. Both the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) view Americans as prime targets for kidnapping and extortion. The private security expert added that many companies are finding it difficult to recruit Americans to work in Colombia and many of these companies may have to relocate. Similarly, some 38 congressmen wrote to Colombian President Pastrana suggesting that members of the Colombian Army’s 17th brigade assisted the right-wing paramilitaries in their March 5 attack on a small village in Antioquia State. They wrote that the army knew the paramilitaries would attack the village but did nothing. PERSPECTIVE: The Colombian government needs to address these Congressional concerns or face possible diminishing support in Congress for assistance to Colombia, akin to the 1980’s when Congressional support for assistance to El Salvador diminished because of close ties between government security forces and right-wing death squads. (04/09/01)

VENEZUELA/COLOMBIA - Venezuelan Ranchers To Form A Self-Defense Group Against Colombian Guerrillas
Venezuelan ranchers, who live near the Colombian border, have publicly stated that they intend to organize themselves and form a self-defense group to confront incursions by the Colombian guerrilla group, the People’s Liberation Army (EPL). The ranchers say that are receiving advice in this regard from Colombian paramilitaries. The guerrilla problem for the ranchers became more urgent last week when a rancher was killed (DIS 04/04/01) by Pro-Chavez activists. Another rancher abandoned his ranch in Tachira State a year ago when the EPL killed three of his employees and threatened to kill him. He charged that the Venezuelan military is too weak to stop the guerrillas. The ranchers claim that there have been 117 attacks over the past year, but the Colombian government, while countering that 80 percent of the incidents were not guerrilla incursions, admits that even 20 percent constitutes a problem. However, President Chavez has taken a strong line, saying he will jail anyone forming a self-defense group. PERSPECTIVE: This move has long been anticipated. Colombian guerrillas have been invading Venezuelan territory with virtual impunity for many months. The ranchers have no confidence in the populist and pro-Castro Chavez, who regularly criticizes them for not using their land productively. Moreover, the ranchers believe that Chavez is pro-guerrilla and has little interest in protecting them. The formation of the self-defense group will be one more step in the political polarization of Venezuela under Chavez. (04/09/01)

surely you wouldn't say that machismo only exists in Colombia.  

it seems to me that the social situation in Colombia has deteriorated so much that women are looking for a way out of their country so they don't have to become one of those refugees you cited.  

I saw that LC is closing down because of the cheaper competition.  Obviously, Cali and Colombia are reaching the saturation point of MOB agencies.  Someone commented that there may be new opportunities in other countries since Colombia is saturated.  However, because other countries of South America do not have the same social crisis that Colombia has, there may not be enough interest to establish an agency service.

Now, in the future if we see armed conflict or extreme social disorder in other countries like what is happening in Colombia, I can assure you that the climate will be right for the MOB services.  

... in response to Re: find a GF yet ??LOL..., posted by Houndog on Apr 14, 2001

after seeing your picture I can appreciate this statement. you could be the poster boy for hoof and mouth disease.  

that's funny about desperate and needy.  Seems to me that there there is plenty of that in the MOB industry both in the north and the south.  

despite your incessant posting, I see your English hasn't gotten any better.

On Tue, 7 Dec 1999 14:07:42 EST
you wrote:

"Words can't begin to describe the Sting of pain I feel when I realize that
AW of all Nationalities reject my offers for a date ,dining and dancing
because I don't have a six figure income,left my rolex at home and my Italian
Supercar is in the Shop for service. The pain of this prejudice seems to be
rampant through out our society.
 With such prejudice it's no wonder guys like me are going to LA to find
good women."

PS: did you miss me??