Ecuador has announced the reopening of one of its two critical oil pipelines on Monday, a significant step towards restoring crude exports that were suspended due to severe storms. These natural disasters have heavily impacted the South American nation’s economy, which is largely reliant on oil.
Operations have resumed at the Heavy Crude Oil Pipeline (OCP), as confirmed in a statement by its operator, OCP Ecuador. Meanwhile, efforts continue on the larger Trans-Ecuadoran Oil Pipeline System (SOTE), which remains offline. Both pipelines are vital arteries, collectively transporting 810,000 barrels of crude per day from oil fields in the Ecuadorian Amazon to the Pacific coast.
The disruption to Ecuador’s oil infrastructure began in June, when the state oil company Petroecuador halted pumping through the main SOTE pipeline following a rupture in an Amazonian section. Oil is a cornerstone of Ecuador’s economy; in 2024, the country averaged 475,000 barrels per day in production, with over 70 percent designated for export.
The recent suspension of exports last week was a direct consequence of heavy rains that have wreaked havoc across the country. These storms, which have claimed over 50 lives since January and displaced tens of thousands, caused extensive damage to the areas traversed by the two pipelines. The partial restoration of pipeline operations with the OCP reopening offers a critical lifeline to Ecuador’s economy as it grapples with the aftermath of these devastating weather events.
