According to Reuters article published on February 6, 2023, energy companies operating in Colombia, including majority state-owned oil company Ecopetrol, on Monday raised concerns about a roadblock in the country's Meta province, which led to prodcution cuts of more than 49,500 barrels of oil per day.
The roadblock is impeding movement on the road between Puerto Gaitan and Rubiales, preventing fuel from reaching oil operations, companies said in a joint statement sent to journalists by Ecopetrol and private operators' group the Colombian Petroleum Association (ACP).
More than 5,332 oil workers and their families have been negatively impacted by the protest, which has continued for seven days, the statement said.
"The social and economic impacts are enormous," the statement said, citing the impact on oil production as well as delays moving food and other good.
Signatories included Ecopetrol's subsidiary Hocol, as well as Spanish oil company Cepsa (CPF.GQ) and Canadian producer Frontera Energy.
The protests are also impacting operations at refineries in the cities of Cartagena and Barrancabermeja, the companies said, putting Colombia's fuel supplies at risk.
The energy ministry and the national police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In late January Ecopetrol said it would reduce output at its Barrancabermeja refinery to 210,000 bpd, from 230,000 bpd, because of farmer protests in Magdalena Medio.
