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New Straits Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Fire halts production at Ecuador's biggest oil refinery
ESMERALDAS, Ecuador: A fuel tank fire on Monday halted production at Ecuador's largest oil refinery, sparking the evacuation of nearby residents as a giant plume of smoke billowed from the facility. Operations at the plant in Esmeraldas province, which can refine 110,000 barrels per day (bpd), were suspended "to safeguard the security of the facilities and personnel," state oil company Petroecuador said. It said no one was injured in the blaze, and five people received medical attention for minor effects of smoke inhalation. Workers were evacuated from the site that was cordoned off by soldiers and refinery staff, an AFP journalist observed. Ecuadorian police said it was evacuating residents of the area, without specifying how many. The cause of the fire at the refinery near Ecuador's border with Colombia was not yet known. Writing on X, Energy Minister Inés Manzano said the situation was "under control," but the assurance did little to quell the concerns of residents. Ramiro Medina, a plant worker, said "a loud noise" was heard, "and we all started running." "What is happening now is quite worrying," added community representative Edgar Romero. "We smelt something and thought it was coming from the Jaime Hurtado school, which was being fumigated today.... (but then) we smelt petrol... We hope that the authorities will take action." Petroecuador, which operates the facility, did not specify the amount of fuel that was in the tank when the fire broke out. Ecuador is one of South America's top oil producers and is heavily reliant on its petroleum exports for revenue. In 2024, the country produced about 475,000 barrels of crude per day, of which it sold nearly three-quarters, earning US$8.6 billion in oil exports. But production last year was disrupted by recurring power cuts linked to the worst drought in 60 years, which reduced the level of hydroelectric reservoirs to historic lows. In March this year, a massive fuel pipeline leak saw more than 25,000 barrels of crude spill into three rivers, in an incident that also forced a suspension of oil exports. Ecuador has two other refineries, with respective capacity for 45,000 and 20,000 barrels per day. The government said in a statement on Monday that "the supply of fuel is completely guaranteed throughout the country" despite the fire.
See - Sada Elbalad
17-03-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Ecuador Declares Environmental Emergency After Major Oil Spill
Israa Farhan Ecuador has declared an environmental emergency following a massive oil spill that contaminated the Esmeraldas River in the northwestern coastal province of Esmeraldas. The spill occurred last Thursday when a section of the Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline System (SOTE) exploded near the El Vergel area, approximately 160 kilometers northwest of the capital, Quito. According to Ecuadorian authorities, the rupture was caused by a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in the region. Ecuador's Energy Minister, Inés Manzano, stated that the emergency declaration will allow the government to mobilize resources and specialized teams to contain the damage and minimize the impact on local communities and ecosystems. Manzano also confirmed that water quality monitoring would be conducted, along with strict supervision of the cleanup operation led by the state-owned oil company, Petroecuador. The company is currently working to contain and recover the spilled oil, but has yet to provide an estimate of the volume of crude released into the river. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa emphasized on social media platform X that Petroecuador must take full responsibility for the incident and ensure proper cleanup and environmental restoration in Esmeraldas, unlike previous cases where accountability was avoided. The Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline System, known as SOTE, is considered the backbone of Ecuador's economy, with a daily capacity of transporting 360,000 barrels of oil. The pipeline stretches 497.7 kilometers, passing through the Amazon, Sierra, and Costa regions. The oil spill poses a significant threat to local communities and biodiversity, with environmental activists warning of long-term damage to the river and surrounding ecosystems. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) News Ireland Replaces Former Israeli Embassy with Palestinian Museum News Israeli PM Diagnosed with Stage 3 Prostate Cancer Lifestyle Maguy Farah Reveals 2025 Expectations for Pisces News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple
