Fire halts production at Ecuador's biggest oil refinery

Workers were evacuated from Ecuador's biggest lipid refinery aft a occurrence broke out. Photo: Antony Quintero / AFP
Source: AFP

A substance vessel occurrence connected Monday halted accumulation astatine Ecuador's largest lipid refinery, sparking the evacuation of adjacent residents arsenic a elephantine plume of fume billowed from the facility.

Operations astatine the works successful Esmeraldas province, which can refine 110,000 barrels per time (bpd), were suspended "to safeguard the information of the facilities and personnel," authorities lipid institution Petroecuador said.

It said nary 1 was injured successful the blaze, and 5 people received aesculapian attraction for insignificant effects of fume inhalation.

Workers were evacuated from the tract that was cordoned disconnected by soldiers and refinery staff, an AFP writer observed.

Ecuadoran constabulary said it was evacuating residents of the area, without specifying however many.

The origin of the occurrence astatine the refinery adjacent Ecuador's borderline with Colombia was not yet known.

Writing connected X, Energy Minister Ines Manzano said the concern was "under control," but the assurance did small to quell the concerns of residents.

Ramiro Medina, a works worker, said "a large noise" was heard, "and we each started running."

"What is happening present is rather worrying," added assemblage typical Edgar Romero.

"We smelled thing and thought it was coming from the Jaime Hurtado school, which was being fumigated today.... (but then) we smelled gasoline... We anticipation that the authorities volition instrumentality action."

Fuel proviso 'guaranteed'

Petroecuador, which operates the facility, did not specify the magnitude of substance that was successful the vessel erstwhile the occurrence broke out.

Ecuador is 1 of South America's apical lipid producers and is heavy reliant connected its petroleum exports for revenue.

In 2024, the state produced astir 475,000 barrels of crude per day, of which it sold astir three-quarters, earning $8.6 cardinal successful lipid exports.

But accumulation past twelvemonth was disrupted by recurring powerfulness cuts linked to the worst drought successful 60 years, which reduced the level of hydroelectric reservoirs to historical lows.

In March this year, a monolithic substance pipeline leak saw much than 25,000 barrels of crude spill into 3 rivers, successful an incidental that besides forced a suspension of lipid exports.

Ecuador has 2 different refineries, with respective capableness for 45,000 and 20,000 barrels per day.

The authorities said successful a connection Monday that "the proviso of substance is wholly guaranteed passim the country" contempt the fire.

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Source: AFP