ONP Pipeline Attacked in Peru

The national oil company Petroperú reported on Sunday an attack on the Norperuano Pipeline (ONP) in the wilderness area of Loreto, which caused an oil leak and forced an environmental emergency plan.

“Police authorities and Petroperú were able to verify that the oil leak that spread across the Cuninico River and reached the Marañón River on Friday was the result of an intentional tear of 21 centimeters in the pipeline,” according to a Petroperú statement.

“The cut was sealed to contain the hydrocarbon,” the company said after reporting that an emergency plan was implemented with a crew. Petroperú reported on Friday the presence of traces of crude oil in the Cuninico River, in the Loreto region (northern jungle), after complaints of contamination filed by several indigenous communities.

The leakage affects six indigenous Amazonian communities of Kukama, whose leaders denounced to the press that the river was contaminated.

“Six communities do not have water to drink or to prepare their food,” the “apu” (chief) Galo Vásquez, an indigenous representative, told the press.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation to confirm the causes of the environmental incident. Petroperú has reported 10 attacks on its pipeline in Loreto since January, which have caused oil spills.

The pipeline has recorded at least 29 sabotage actions since 2014, according to the National Mining, Oil and Energy Corporation.

The Norperuano pipeline, one of the largest in the country, was built four decades ago to transport crude oil from the Amazon region to Piura on the coast, stretching some 800 km.