Ecuador‘s state-run oil company Petroecuador has recovered output to more than 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent day (boed), it said on Friday, returning to levels seen before its operations were affected last month by a bridge collapse.
Petroecuador lifted its state of force majeure on Monday after it restarted pumping crude through its SOTE pipeline.
The company suspended transportation of oil via the pipeline in February as part of preventive measures after a bridge collapsed nearby in Ecuador’s Napo province, in the Amazon.
“Petroecuador’s production reached 400,719 boed, of which 392,118 barrels are crude oil and 8,601 barrels are equivalent in natural gas and associated gas,” the company said in a statement.
“This represents meeting 99.7% of the expected levels after lifting force majeure,” it said.
The private OCP heavy-crude oil pipeline and a gasoline pipeline operated by Petroecuador also suspended operations after the bridge collapse, pushing the run company to gradually shut wells and reprogram oil exports.
Petroecuador has reactivated 1,744 wells, recovering production levels in key fields across the Andean country.
“Twenty-five wells couldn’t be recovered after they were turned off, so they will have to undergo interventions via reconditioning works,” the statement said, adding these wells are expected to be operational between the end of March and the beginning of April of this year.
Petroecuador has six drilling rigs in operation as well as another four rigs owned by private consortia with which to carry out drilling campaigns.
The SOTE and OCP pipelines are regularly halted due to pipeline damage from rocks and landslides.