Colombian state oil company Ecopetrol said on June 27 it has suspended production at some wells in the nation’s largest oil field after demonstrators seized the facility in the latest incident affecting that industry in the Andean nation.
The demonstrators, who identified themselves as members of the Alto Unuma indigenous community, occupied facilities at Water Disposal Plant 6 of the Rubiales Field and ordered operators to shut it down, Ecopetrol said in a statement.
Eighty-one wells were closed, causing a loss of 9,500 bbl/d.
Rubiales produces about 135,000 bbl/d, equivalent to a quarter of Ecopetrol’s total production.
“About 100 people are blocking the internal roads of the field, which affects the normal operation of maintenance, drilling, production and projects being carried out,” the company said.
The blockades have also prevented shift changes, “a situation that violates the right to work of more than 400 people,” it said.
Ecopetrol is the largest crude oil producer in Colombia.
Social protests against oil and mining activity have intensified in recent months, including legal uncertainty caused by popular consultations with communities. Colombia has oil reserves equivalent to about 5.1 years of consumption.
Recommended Reading
Cronos Appraisal Confirms Discovery Offshore Cyprus
2024-02-15 - Eni-operated block partner TotalEnergies says appraisal confirms the presence of significant resources and production potential in the block.
Sangomar FPSO Arrives Offshore Senegal
2024-02-13 - Woodside’s Sangomar Field on track to start production in mid-2024.
E&P Highlights: Jan. 22, 2024
2024-01-22 - Here’s a roundup of the latest E&P headlines, including FIDs for the Victory and Winterfell fields and new technology updates.
Stena Evolution Upgrade Planned for Sparta Ops
2024-03-27 - The seventh-gen drillship will be upgraded with a 20,000-psi equipment package starting in 2026.
Shell Taps TechnipFMC for 20K System for Sparta
2024-02-19 - The deepwater greenfield project in the Gulf of Mexico targets reserves in the high-pressure Paleogene reservoir.