We know how relevant nature is to the well-being of communities and the continuity of our business, and use water efficiently and responsibly. Furthermore, we implement measures to protect, conserve and restore biodiversity through managing impacts, risks and opportunities to preserve ecosystem services and functions in our areas of influence.
We know that water is a vital resource, and so our management goes beyond regulatory requirements for its use and exploitation. We are committed to innovation and implementing practices that contribute to rational and efficient water use and reuse, as well as guaranteeing the correct management of the effluents we generate.
During the environmental licensing stage and obtaining authorizations for the withdrawal, use and disposal of water, we carry out environmental studies that allow us to identify and evaluate potential risks and impacts and analyze water supply and the quality in each region where we operate.
Based on these analyses, we define withdrawal limits, the best disposal alternatives, as well as the management and monitoring measures that environmental authorities evaluate and approve. These measures are implemented as projects develop
Every year we assess water-related risks through environmental studies, projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), WWF Risk Filter Suite and the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, the EMS assessment and, in part, through our climate change adaptation plan.
To determine the level of water stress in our operations, we use tools such as the WWF Risk Filter Suite, the Aqueduct Risk Atlas, information from ground stations and satellites, as well as official studies and decrees issued in the countries where we operate, allowing us to establish that our operations in Colombia and Ecuador are not located in areas with water stress.
Our operations extract water exclusively from authorized sources.
(CDP-W7.5) In our operations, using fresh water from surface sources is considered to have a low impact because the percentage of withdrawals of this type of resource (from rainfall, rivers, lakes, lateral borrow areas and wetlands) in 2023 was 3% of total withdrawals (not including produced water) and in no case exceeded the authorized withdrawal volumes.
Our operations have different wastewater management methods including:
Environmental authorities evaluate our water disposal methods during the respective EIA approval process for each project.
The treatment and disposal of water is carried out under the following considerations:
In 2023, we updated the methodology for calculating water consumption based on the difference between total water withdrawn and total water disposed of. According to this new methodology, we recalculate water consumption for previous years.
Water consumption totaled 229,307.5 m3 in 2023, a decrease of 36% compared to the previous year as a result of a higher volume of re-injected produced water.
We expect to have higher levels of activity due to the new exploration activities planned and the operation of mature fields. We are in the process of making the Integrated Water Management Strategic Plan, and its implementation will ensure efficient water use, either reducing final water consumption volumes or keeping them at almost the same levels.
Oil spills are one of the main risks associated with hydrocarbon exploration and production activities, and we pay special attention to preventing this type of incident that can affect soil, water and biodiversity
We have prevention plans and structured procedures that range from identifying risks to activating contingency and remediation plans, in which we work with specialist emergency care partners.
We involve the neighboring communities as overseers and guarantors of the processes to respond to these events and we have prepared actions for institutional coordination and immediate response.
One of our priorities is to preserve ecosystems and help restore those that have been transformed or degraded, maintaining their services and functions and making sustainable use of biodiversity
