Mudslides knock out Ecuador crude pipelines

Ecuador's two crude export pipelines were knocked out of service by mudslides.

The 450,000 b/d OCP heavy crude pipeline ruptured following the overflow of the Coca river, causing the suspension of operations yesterday at 6:30pm ET.

The 485km (301-mile) pipeline, controlled by foreign oil companies, runs from the Amazon oil district to the Pacific coast port of Balao in Esmeraldas.

In a separate incident at 8:15pm ET yesterday, a mudslide reduced pressure on state-owned PetroEcuador's 360,000 b/d Sote crude pipeline, prompting the company to suspend operations.

The 503km Sote pipeline also runs from the Amazon district to Esmeraldas.

The pipeline outages come amid a devastating local blow from the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in the Pacific city of Guayaquil. The country has almost 4,000 declared cases and more than 200 deaths.

By Patricia Garip