Compensation Protest Blocks Access to Petroecuador Oil Field

In a protest over Compensation, an indigenous group in Ecuador’s Amazon region has blocked access to one of the state oil company Petroecuador’s main fields, forcing the company to seek assistance from the armed forces to supply supplies. Petroecuador said in a statement on Saturday that the protest has prevented it from sending supplies needed to continue operations at Block 12 in Orellana province, which produces about 28,500 barrels per day (bpd).

Processing plants for crude oil from two other main areas, Block 31 and 43-ITT, are also located in the district. The armed forces were asked to airlift supplies to the field and transport personnel in and out via helicopters, according to Petroecuador.

Since May 10, residents of El Eden have been demanding that an agreement to obtain Compensation from Petroecuador, which they are entitled to because they live in the oil field’s impact zone, be renewed. A request for comment from a member of the group was not immediately returned. Petroecuador stated that it had approached the group to negotiate an agreement, but that no agreement had yet been achieved.

The residents of El Eden have been demanding that an agreement is needed to obtain Compensation from Petroecuador. They are entitled to do so because they live in the oil field’s impact zone, and it needs to be renewed. A request for comment from a member of the group was not immediately returned. Following a drilling programme, the company announced on Thursday that total production had increased to over 400,000 bpd.