Drilling in Ecuador’s Drilling in Ecuador’s Amazon BasinAmazon Basin

By Megan BellBy Megan Bell

Ecol 474Ecol 474

The Amazon Basin in The Amazon Basin in EcuadorEcuador

-The entire Amazon Basin -The entire Amazon Basin covers 6,100,000km² of covers 6,100,000km² of South AmericaSouth America

-In Ecuador, it is nearly -In Ecuador, it is nearly 40% of the country40% of the country

-Home to 500,000 people-Home to 500,000 people

-Amazing wildlife and plant -Amazing wildlife and plant species: Freshwater species: Freshwater dolphins, toucans, 100 dolphins, toucans, 100 sp butterflies, orchidssp butterflies, orchids

Oil Drilling in EcuadorOil Drilling in Ecuador

• Oil reserves proven 4.4-4.6 billion barrels in the Oil reserves proven 4.4-4.6 billion barrels in the Oriente Oriente

• Texaco the first company to drill in 1967Texaco the first company to drill in 1967• Now there are 16 companies: Petroecuador, 3 Now there are 16 companies: Petroecuador, 3

private Ecuadorian companies, 12 Foreign private Ecuadorian companies, 12 Foreign companies companies http://publications.paho.org/english/TEMA_San_bastian.pdfhttp://publications.paho.org/english/TEMA_San_bastian.pdf

• Petroecuador accounts for 55% of the total Petroecuador accounts for 55% of the total output, Private companies account for 45%output, Private companies account for 45%

• Oil export accounts for 40% of Ecuador’s Oil export accounts for 40% of Ecuador’s earnings earnings

Drilling Continued…Drilling Continued…

• May 2006, Petroecuador took over Occidental May 2006, Petroecuador took over Occidental Petroleum Corp, the largest privately owned oil Petroleum Corp, the largest privately owned oil company in Ecuadorcompany in Ecuador– President Alfredo Palacio has been under pressure to President Alfredo Palacio has been under pressure to

expel Oxy for exploiting natural resources without expel Oxy for exploiting natural resources without benefit to natives benefit to natives

– The government claims Oxy made illegal transfers The government claims Oxy made illegal transfers with other companies without receiving permissionwith other companies without receiving permission

– Since the takeover, production has decreased 4%Since the takeover, production has decreased 4%– Fear Petroecuador will not be able to keep up same Fear Petroecuador will not be able to keep up same

production rate as Americans didproduction rate as Americans did

http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~eschniter/AMAZONIA/oil.html

Oil Road

Trans-Ecuador Pipeline

Drilling Rig

Pollution in the OrientePollution in the Oriente

• Exploratory wells create 4,000 cubic meters of Exploratory wells create 4,000 cubic meters of wastewaste

• Commonly disposed into open pits which Commonly disposed into open pits which eventually let the untreated waste into the eventually let the untreated waste into the environmentenvironment

• If site is going to be drilled, waste increases to If site is going to be drilled, waste increases to 4.3 million gallons of discharge water every 4.3 million gallons of discharge water every day, most released as untreated into pits, and day, most released as untreated into pits, and 53 million cubic feet of gas burned without 53 million cubic feet of gas burned without regulationsregulations

Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies

• 1987: found high levels of oil and grease in water 1987: found high levels of oil and grease in water near production sites, low dissolved oxygen had near production sites, low dissolved oxygen had damaged aquatic ecosystem (36 samples taken)damaged aquatic ecosystem (36 samples taken)

• 1989: crude oil was regularly dumped into forests 1989: crude oil was regularly dumped into forests and water system (187 wells sampled)and water system (187 wells sampled)

• 1994: concentrations of polynuclear aromatic 1994: concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons 10 to 10,000 times higher than EPA hydrocarbons 10 to 10,000 times higher than EPA recommendationsrecommendations

• 1998: contamination of total petroleum 1998: contamination of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in areas of drilling, none found in hydrocarbons (TPH) in areas of drilling, none found in areas without drilling (46 streams)areas without drilling (46 streams)

• No studies of impact of pollution on fish and lack of No studies of impact of pollution on fish and lack of information on soil pollutioninformation on soil pollution

http://www.newtopiamagazine.net/archives/content/issue17/features/ecuador.php

Open pool of waste water

Burning Gas Open pit of oil waste

Gas flare

Oil SpillsOil Spills

• 1984: A total of 294,000 gallons spilled 1984: A total of 294,000 gallons spilled into the Napo River, ran black for a weekinto the Napo River, ran black for a week

• 1992: 275,000 gallons spilled 1992: 275,000 gallons spilled • 1992: approx 30 spills totaling 16.8 1992: approx 30 spills totaling 16.8

million gallonsmillion gallons• Jan-Sept 2006: 117 oil spills recordedJan-Sept 2006: 117 oil spills recorded

http://www.pnm.my/mtcp/participatingcountries.htm

Oil spills continued…Oil spills continued…

• Many drilling stations in national Many drilling stations in national parksparks– Yasuni: largest protected area, home to Yasuni: largest protected area, home to

4,000 flowering plants, over 600 birds 4,000 flowering plants, over 600 birds and animal speciesand animal species

– Cuyabeno: second largest protected Cuyabeno: second largest protected area, 580 bird species, 9 species area, 580 bird species, 9 species primates, also have freshwater dolphins, primates, also have freshwater dolphins, manatees, giant anacondasmanatees, giant anacondas

http://www.ecuador-travel.net/biodiversity.parks-yasuni20.jpg

http://www.planetecuador.net/parks.htm

http://www.nyu.edu/projects/difiore/yasuni/research.html

http://www.geocities.com/cuyabeno_nomadtrek/ecuador.html

http://www.birdlist.org/sam/Ecuador/cuyabeno1.htm

Lawsuit against TexacoLawsuit against Texaco

• 1993: 30,000 native Ecuadorians sued Texaco 1993: 30,000 native Ecuadorians sued Texaco with charges of 18 billion gallons of produced with charges of 18 billion gallons of produced water dumped into rivers and streamswater dumped into rivers and streams

• 2002: Trial moved to Ecuador and decision has 2002: Trial moved to Ecuador and decision has yet to be madeyet to be made

Health concernsHealth concerns

• Children are born with fused fingers, deformed Children are born with fused fingers, deformed eyes, teenagers have tumors and amputated eyes, teenagers have tumors and amputated arms and legsarms and legs

• Several studies have shown health risks Several studies have shown health risks involved in living near oil fieldsinvolved in living near oil fields– 1993: communities in oil producing areas have higher 1993: communities in oil producing areas have higher

mortality rates, malnutrition, dermatitis, skin mortality rates, malnutrition, dermatitis, skin mycosis, higher abortion ratesmycosis, higher abortion rates

– 1994: study reported skin problems for natives living 1994: study reported skin problems for natives living in oil-contaminated areasin oil-contaminated areas

– 1998: increase in cancer among males living in oil-1998: increase in cancer among males living in oil-producing village within the Orienteproducing village within the Oriente

– 2000: increase cancer rate in men and women living 2000: increase cancer rate in men and women living in areas with drilling for more than 20 yearsin areas with drilling for more than 20 years

What should be done?What should be done?

• Five interrelated actions:Five interrelated actions:– Ecuadorian government needs to asses Ecuadorian government needs to asses

environmental situation in the Oriente regionenvironmental situation in the Oriente region• Clean up the damage and prevent further Clean up the damage and prevent further

damage from happeningdamage from happening– Oil companies need to change their Oil companies need to change their

processes minimize impacts and work with processes minimize impacts and work with the natives to help them receive benefitsthe natives to help them receive benefits• Natives need to be educated on Natives need to be educated on

environmental plans and have them environmental plans and have them accessibleaccessible

Actions continued…Actions continued…

– Health impact assessments need to be Health impact assessments need to be integrated into policy development and integrated into policy development and evaluationevaluation• Community consultation and participation crucial Community consultation and participation crucial

for assessing impact on env and healthfor assessing impact on env and health– Community organizations need to work with Community organizations need to work with

regional, national, and international regional, national, and international environmental groups to enforce the new environmental groups to enforce the new constitution constitution • New constitution states that oil companies need to New constitution states that oil companies need to

consult communities before oil exploration consult communities before oil exploration – Trade policies need to be shifted towards Trade policies need to be shifted towards

environmental sustainability and social justiceenvironmental sustainability and social justice

ConclusionConclusion

• Ecuador has large oil reserves within the Ecuador has large oil reserves within the Oriente region of the countryOriente region of the country

• Ecuador’s economy depends on oil Ecuador’s economy depends on oil exportexport

• Drilling the Amazon has caused severe Drilling the Amazon has caused severe environmental impacts and major health environmental impacts and major health issues for nativesissues for natives

Questions??

SourcesSources

• San Sebastion, M., Hurtig, A. 2004. Oil exploitation in the Amazon basin of San Sebastion, M., Hurtig, A. 2004. Oil exploitation in the Amazon basin of Ecuador: a public health emergency. Pan Am J Public Health 15(3).Ecuador: a public health emergency. Pan Am J Public Health 15(3).

• Hurtig, A., San Sebastion, M. 2005. Hurtig, A., San Sebastion, M. 2005. Epidemiology vs epidemiology: the case of Epidemiology vs epidemiology: the case of oil exploitation in the Amazon basin of Ecuador.oil exploitation in the Amazon basin of Ecuador. International Journal of International Journal of Epidemiology 34(5):1170-1172.Epidemiology 34(5):1170-1172.

San Sebastián, M., Armstrong, M., Cordoba, J. A., Stephens, C. Exposures and San Sebastián, M., Armstrong, M., Cordoba, J. A., Stephens, C. Exposures and cancer cancer incidence near oil fields in the Amazon basin of Ecuador. incidence near oil fields in the Amazon basin of Ecuador. Occup Environ Med Occup Environ Med 5858::517–22.517–22.

Smith, Geri. 2006. In Ecuador, One Slippery Oil Patch; Oxy is out and Smith, Geri. 2006. In Ecuador, One Slippery Oil Patch; Oxy is out and PetroEcuador is in, but can the state company keep things flowing. (Company PetroEcuador is in, but can the state company keep things flowing. (Company overview). Business Week 40:50.overview). Business Week 40:50.

The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 2006. 18 November 2006. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 2006. 18 November 2006. <https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html>.<https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html>.

Oil Spill Labeled Sabotage. 2006. Oil Spill Intelligence Report 29:40.Oil Spill Labeled Sabotage. 2006. Oil Spill Intelligence Report 29:40. Hearn, Kelly. 2006. Big Oil on Trial. The Environmental Magazine 17:2.Hearn, Kelly. 2006. Big Oil on Trial. The Environmental Magazine 17:2. Ecuador Cancels an Oil Deal With Occidental Petroleum. 2006. The New York Ecuador Cancels an Oil Deal With Occidental Petroleum. 2006. The New York

Times section C:12.Times section C:12.

Picture sourcesPicture sources

• http://www.oas.org/dsd/Events/english/Documents/OSDE_8Amazon.pdfhttp://www.oas.org/dsd/Events/english/Documents/OSDE_8Amazon.pdf• http://publications.http://publications.pahopaho.org/.org/englishenglish/TEMA_San_/TEMA_San_bastianbastian..pdfpdf http://www.http://www.uwebuweb..

ucsbucsb..eduedu/~/~eschnitereschniter/AMAZONIA/oil.html/AMAZONIA/oil.html• http://www.lostworldadventures.com/countries/ecuador/regions/ amazon.htmhttp://www.lostworldadventures.com/countries/ecuador/regions/ amazon.htm• http://www.http://www.newtopiamagazinenewtopiamagazine.net/archives/content/issue17/features/.net/archives/content/issue17/features/ ecuador ecuador..

phpphp• http://www.birdlist.org/sam/Ecuador/cuyabeno1.htmhttp://www.birdlist.org/sam/Ecuador/cuyabeno1.htm• http://www.ecuador-travel.net/biodiversity.parks-yasuni20.jpghttp://www.ecuador-travel.net/biodiversity.parks-yasuni20.jpg• http://www.world66.com/southamerica/ecuador/amazonbasin/lib/gallery/ http://www.world66.com/southamerica/ecuador/amazonbasin/lib/gallery/

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