BOGOTA — A Colombian court overturned another court order issued last month that had suspended activities at Sirius-2, previously called Uchuva-2, a major gas well located off the country’s Caribbean coast.
The ruling, dated October 29, follows a complaint made by Indigenous communities who said their way of life would be adversely affected by the well’s development.
Industry groups had warned that suspending the well could threaten Colombia’s long-term energy self-sufficiency and batter the outlook for the nation’s dwindling gas reserves.
The project is jointly owned by Colombian state oil producer Ecopetrol and Brazil’s Petrobras.
This ruling allows Ecopetrol and Petrobras “to continue with drilling operations and the execution of their operational activities, which are of vital importance to the energy security of the nation,” Ecopetrol said in a statement, adding it would respect local communities and the environment.
The court also ordered that Colombia’s interior ministry in no less than a month “issue an administrative act that studies the concept of a prior consultation,” a process which allows communities a say in the development of major oil, mining, infrastructure and other projects.
Another court order following the initial Sept. 11 ruling had already softened the measures, saying the halt should be gradual.
Wednesday’s ruling added the names Uchuva and Tayrona could not be banned under intellectual property rules, arguing they had become common use despite being of Indigenous origin, after communities argued the names should not be used without their consent.
By REUTERS
Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta and Oliver Griffin; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Alistair Bell
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