Oil: an economic alternative, a security expense

Abstract

The origin of current conflicts lies, to a great extent, on strategic natural resources; thus, oil has become one of the vital interests of each of the States to enable the pursuit of their goals and objectives; due to this, Foreign Policy has been framed on new geopolitical interests that manage to supply in a lapse of time the natural resources that any international power requires for its survival in the international arena.

The Fourth Generation Wars have given rise to new combat techniques; in this way, technology has been the means implemented by irregular groups to destabilize oil structures, thus generating an economic deficit for the States. In Colombia, the company Ecopetrol has suffered several attacks by illegal groups, directly due to explorations and numerous oil discoveries, which have indirectly allowed the increase of criminal activities such as fuel theft. Of course, in a technological counterattack, many oil companies, including Ecopetrol, have initiated scientific research to prevent thefts and attacks that cause millions of dollars in losses, both for the State and for the company; in short, technological innovation plays an important role in the Fourth Generation Wars.