06 Apr 2006
Court Observes Evidence of Petroecuador's Failure to Remediate Recent Oil Spill During Inspection of Guanta-6
Nueva Loja, April 6, 2006 - Today, during the judicial inspection of the Guanta-6 well site, the President of the Superior Court of Nueva Loja observed nearby a large spill still left unremediated by Petroecuador more than two months after it occurred. Adolfo Callejas, lead attorney for Chevron, told the Court the unremediated spill was just one example of how Petroecuador has operated in the area in recent years.
Texaco Petroleum Co. (TexPet) turned over operation of this site to Petroecuador in 1990, and Petroecuador has been the sole owner and operator of the site for nearly 14 years. The site was not included in the $40 million environmental remediation program that TexPet performed from 1995-1998 at the direction of the Government of Ecuador and Petroecuador. Petroecuador assumed full responsibility for the environmental conditions of the Guanta-6 site when the Government of Ecuador and Petroecuador granted a Final Release for Claims and Liabilities to TexPet in 1998.
Callejas also presented to the Court official Petroecuador records documenting its numerous work-overs and spills, any environmental effects of which are solely Petroecuador's responsibility.
Back to top