Ecuadorian Strikers Block Access to State-Operated Oil Wells

Ecuadorian Strikers Block Access to State-Operated Oil Wells
EFE News Services Monday, August 15, 2005

Townspeople in eastern Ecuador on Monday blocked access to several oil wells operated by state-run firm Petroecuador calling for more infrastructure development in the region, an official source confirmed to EFE.

Elio Ortega, of the Orellana provincial advisory council, told EFE that a group of demonstrators had occupied the installations around an oil well where last week a crude spill affected the area.

Although Ortega said that production at the well was continuing normally, Petroecuador president Luis Roman said Monday that he was "concerned" about the possibility the situation could be further complicated and lead to "a reduction in production just when the price of petroleum is reaching record levels."

Petroecuador press spokesman Fausto Mejia told EFE on Monday that the military guard around certain oil wells had been increased to prevent excesses by demonstrators.

The strikers say that they will not halt their activities until they get more infrastructure development in Orellana, where - along with the neighboring province of Sucumbios - they have been striking since Sunday, when they blocked the runway at the Francisco de Orellana airport.

The protesters placed earth and stones - and they parked trucks - on the runway, which is one of the air travel facilities most used by the personnel of oil companies operating in Amazonia, including Occidental, a U.S. firm, Canada's Encana and Brazil's Petrobras.

Delfin Ordoñez, the director of the environmental office in the Orellana provincial council, told EFE that there had been several petroleum spills in the region, where there are some 3,000 oil wells.