Peru reactivates oil pipeline after almost three months of paralysis

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Peruvian pipeline returned to transport oil after almost three months, paralyzed by the seizure of the facilities of Station 5 by hundreds of indigenous Amazonians, reported this Sunday (12.26.2021) the state oil company Petroperú.

The oil infrastructure, which transports the crude from the fields of the Peruvian Amazon to the coast of the Pacific Ocean, remained paralyzed for 74 days, since the taking of Station 5 began on October 4, the neuralgic point of the pipeline as it was the confluence of its two branches.

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The state oil company Petroperú, the pipeline operator, reported this Sunday in a statement that the pipeline has been operational again since Wednesday, December 22, when it began pumping the 340,000 barrels of oil stored in Station 1 in the direction of Station 5.

This crude belongs to the Perenco and PetroTal companies, in charge of exploiting lots 67 and 95, respectively, whose production rate had been affected by the stoppage of the pipeline.

The indigenous people who were the protagonists of the protest called by the Peoples Affected by Petroleum Activity (PAAP) agreed to withdraw from Station 5 after the Government promised to start negotiations on their demands as of January 15.

The indigenous people demanded better services from the State and solutions to oil pollution.

The return of Petroperú workers to Station 5 occurred on December 17, when the indigenous invasion ended, which had moments of tension, such as when the natives protested in November by burning an oil company car.

To ensure that these transport activities are carried out usually and without setbacks, Petroperú patrols section I and the maintenance of all the pumping equipment located in all the pipeline stations.

The pipeline has operated since 1977 through 1,106 kilometers of pipes that cross the jungle and the Andes on a route that crosses the Peruvian territory from east to west.

During the last years, several accidental and caused ruptures in this pipeline have caused successive oil spills in the Amazon.