Colombia’s state-run oil company Ecopetrol said Tuesday that it would suspend its fracking operations.
The company made the surprise announcement after Congress began debating a bill to ban the controversial practice to extract oil or gas from the earth.
Ecopetrol informed the National Mining Agency (ANM) that it would suspend its two fracking operations, Kale and Platero, for a period of 90 days.
Both projects were underway in Puerto Wilches, a town in the central Santander province.
The Kale project had already received an environmental license from the administration of former President Ivan Duque.
The Platero project, which was acquired with Ecopetrol’s American partner Exxonmobil, was still waiting for an environmental license.
Colombia’s state-run oil company did not say why it had suspended its fracking operations.
Ecopetrol and other oil companies would have to permanently suspend their fracking ambitions on Colombian soil if Congress approves the proposed blanket ban.
The suspension is a major victory for local activists who have opposed fracking for years.
While on campaign earlier this year, President Gustavo Petro promised that his administration would end the highly controversial extraction practice.