Sharing Our Experience
Upon the arrival of ConocoPhillips in Colombia in 2016, expectations were generated surrounding the company’s future activities in the hydrocarbon exploration and production of unconventional reservoirs and the application of hydraulic stimulation in sidetrack wells as a new technique in the country.
However, ConocoPhillips is the global leader in its application and this technique has been practiced during many decades in other parts of the world.
During the first information scenarios, some local and regional players, as well as some environmental activists, stated their uncertainty around this technique and their concern for natural resources and the socio-environmental ambiance.
Aimed at providing effective answers, we set forth the following communications strategy that considered these objectives:
- Expanding, consolidating and maintaining updated socio-environmental information in the country.
- Disseminating information relating to ConocoPhillips’ good practices in hydrocarbon exploration and production of unconventional reservoirs.
- Preparing and distributing educational informative materials targeting different audiences.
2016 |
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Roadshow – Colombia & ConocoPhillips Exploring Together. A cross disciplinary task force was entrusted with advancing the communications strategy to disseminate information related to unconventional reservoirs. (August and September 2016) |
| Total number of Roadshows: 45 Stakeholders
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2017 |
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Socio-Environmental Information and Awareness Generation/Socialization Socio-environmental compilation and results delivery – January and June 2017. |
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Socio-Environmental Information and Awareness Generation/Socialization Awareness on the APE Plata (VMM3) and APE Piranga (VMM3) Environmental Impact Studies. APE VMM3 (Picoplata #1 Project) - 2015 to 2017. Socialization Sessions: 118 |
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 Socio-Environmental Information and Awareness Generation/Socialization Awareness on the APE Plata and APE Piranga Environmental Impact Studies (EIS). Block VMM2 – 2018 to 2020. Socialization Sessions: 92 |
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Stakeholders
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2018-2019 |
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University Rounds University Forums in different cities. Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Medellín, Neiva, Valledupar. |
Total visits to universities: 19 |
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 Informative Scenarios We have attended and hosted knowledge sharing sessions on unconventional reservoirs in conferences, symposia, conventions and more. Total Informative Scenarios: 43 |
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Thanks to our communications strategy, we obtained the following achievements:
- Established a fluent dialog with stakeholders.
- Regarded as a national benchmark of good practices in the exploration of unconventional reservoirs.
- Prepared communications material for different audiences: scale models, brochures, calendars, videos, fact sheets and webpage content, which have served to support the process of stakeholder information and relations.
- Involvement in over 300 informative spaces with academics, associations, landowners, communities, local and regional authorities in specialized forums, dialog sessions and conferences.
- Built the socio-environmental baseline with information from existing studies and data compiled from 2015 to 2019, thus consolidating a socio-environmental baseline with information gathered for more than 7 years.
- Established an observation committee and guided visits during the activities at the Picoplata#1 wellsite.
- Contributed in sharing technical and scientific information on the Middle Magdalena Valley in the areas of geology and hydrogeology, shared information with regional studies led by universities, and contributed to increasing scientific knowledge in the country.
- Shared environmental information with communities, regional, local and national authorities, associations, universities and industry players, related to the geophysical characteristics, quality of water, air, soil, ecosystems and biodiversity in the blocks located in the Middle Magdalena Valley.
- Together with the communities and regional and local authorities, we have built a socio-economic baseline that includes demographic, economic, cultural, and political-organizational aspects of the blocks located in the Middle Magdalena Valley.
- Shared knowledge and experiences of global unconventional reservoir development with hydrocarbon sector operators and service companies in Colombia.
- Contributed to building knowledge on the Middle Magdalena Valley with information gathered for the blocks located in this region.
Our Present and Future
We plan to continue sharing regularly the data and experience we have gained in developing unconventional reservoirs, which we believe strengthens the bonds of trust with our stakeholders. In addition, we are evaluating replicating this plan in the social and communications strategy for block VMM2, in view of its success here.
At ConocoPhillips we understand that information builds knowledge, and knowledge is necessary for decision making. We understand that an open dialog with the communities where we operate is key to a successful outcome for all.