Colombia’s state oil and gas firm Ecopetrol SA has decided to pause its hydraulic fracturing (fracking) pilots for 90 days.

Columbia Production

Ecopetrol was involved in two horizontal drilling pilot programs, Kalé and Platero, in conjunction with ExxonMobil. Colombia has 55 Tcf of technically recoverable shale gas resources, which would place it fifth in South America, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The announcement comes as the country’s Congress debates banning fracking, and amid new leadership that is adamant on upending Colombia’s energy sector.

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