Fracking gets green light in Colombia, to begin in 2015

Semana.com reported Orlando Cabrales, Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy said that this controversial practice will begin next year.

The Government gave the green light to the technique of oil extraction fracking (hydraulic fracturing), the announcement was made ​​by the Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, Orlando Cabrales, the objective is intended to increase natural gas reserves in the country. [See “The fracking came to Colombia]

Cabrales said that after two years managed to establish a regulatory framework for the controversial mining practice in Colombia. The deputy minister also noted that the companies involved will begin to submit applications for environmental permits to start activities “fracking” next year.

With growing concern about the effects on the environment of this form of extraction, Cabrales said the challenge will be to ensure that safety measures are being followed to minimize risks. However, some environmentalists have repeatedly pointed out that the country is not ready to expose watershed at a pressure as fracking, which is why several NGOs had asked the government for a moratorium on this activity, which is ruled by the announcement on Monday. Read Article