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Oil spill in Piedra Fina
A rockfall due to heavy rains in the Amazon caused a rupture in the Heavy Crude Oil Pipeline (OCP) in the Piedra Fina sector, Napo province, during the followingnoon of January 28.
Residents of the sector reported that this happened following 5:00 p.m. Images and videos of the pollution caused by the oil spill were shared on social networks. They indicated that a rock fell on the pipe and caused it to break.
URGENT: a new rupture of the Heavy Crude Oil Pipeline (OCP) was registered this Friday, following the fall of a rock in the Piedra Fina sector, between Napo and Sucumbíos. In a statement, the OCP company affirms that the reception or exports of oil have not been suspended. pic.twitter.com/h0ZTjQxAIa
– Tere Menéndez (@ TMT30_) January 29, 2022
In the video you can see a large amount of oil coming out of the pipe with force and contaminating the area. “Look how the oil is going, it is going left and right, all the oil goes to the river”, is heard in shared videos. You can also see the spilled crude go down the access roads like a river and go towards the Quijos River (Alto Coca).
????#Attention
Strong images of the oil spill in the Piedra Fina sector, bordering Napo and Sucumbíos, affecting the banks of the Coca River. AGAIN a break of the @OCPEcuador.
we demand to @RecNaturalesEC @Ambiente_Ec @OCPEcuador @DEFENSORIAEC @DDHH_Ec Inmediate attention. pic.twitter.com/mTjkYbula1
— CONAIE (@CONAIE_Ecuador) January 29, 2022
???? #URGENT|| At 4:00 p.m. on this 01/28/2022 there was an oil spill due to a pipe rupture in km. 105, Piedra Fina sector, San Luis precinct, province of #Napo.
.@OCPEcuador The company in charge of operations has not ruled on the spill that contaminated the Coca River. pic.twitter.com/cmII0nwHVm
– Laura Martínez (@suca04) January 29, 2022
The company OCP del Ecuador reported that it has already started cleaning and environmental remediation work, as well as repairing the pipeline. He indicated that the emergency protocol was activated and containment activities and evaluation of the magnitude of the damage began. Despite this incident, the company confirmed that the reception of crude oil, nor its exports, was not suspended.
#OfficialCommunication pic.twitter.com/VwnwN06D9f
— OCP Ecuador S.A. (@OCPEcuador) January 29, 2022
While the Ministry of the Environment asked the OCP to present the emerging plan, survey and monitoring of affected environmental and social components, the presence of an accredited laboratory was arranged for this purpose.
OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION | The General Secretariat of Communication of the Presidency reports that there was a break in the Heavy Crude Oil Pipeline (OCP) in the Piedra Fina sector, Napo province, as a result of a rockfall caused by heavy rains in the area. pic.twitter.com/uhrgeQkWXt
– Communication Ecuador (@ComunicacionEc) January 29, 2022
“Through the activation of the emergency protocol, the use of all the necessary resources has been arranged to guarantee the protection of the environment, avoid social damage, and repair the infrastructure,” said Roberto Grijalva, OCP operations manager.
