Eco Friendly Oil Firm Dumps Crude In Largest River

Story By: Marija Petrovska, Sub EditorJoseph GolderAgency: Central European News

Video Credit: CEN/@omsampayo

This footage shows crude oil from an Ecopetrol plant pouring out of a pipe and straight into the largest river in Colombia, the local who filmed it claims.

The Ecopetrol company claims to be a clean producer, with efforts made towards reducing discharges and waste in a bid to be more eco-efficient.

The incident was filmed in the municipality of Yondo in the north-western Colombian department of Antioquia and posted on Twitter by netizen ‘Oscar Sampayo’ where it has been widely circulated.

Pictures Credit: CEN/@omsampayo & CEN/University of Maryland & CEN

According to residents quoted in local media, the environment hazard originates from a nearby Ecopetrol oil refinery, one of the oldest and largest in the country, and similar incidents have been occurring in the Magdalena River for over 30 years.

The Magdalena River is the country’s principal waterway and stretches for 1,528km (949 miles).

The footage was filmed by resident Ladislao Carvajal and shows crude oil apparently pouring into the river from a pipe, contaminating the water and riverbanks.

Video Credit: CEN/@omsampayo

Carvajal told local media: “I do not know what we are going to do about Ecopetrol, look at how thick the oil spill is. They claim it does not pollute the springs, but it is going into the Magdalena River.”

Carvajal also claimed that such scenes are a “regular occurrence” and can be seen nearly every week. He also said that he has “a similar video from eight days ago”.

According to local media, Ecopetrol is managing the situation and has set up a specialist team to determine the cause of this apparent environmental emergency.

Ecopetrol claims online that they are undertaking efforts to reduce waste and discharges as part of ‘eco-efficiency’ measures.

Ecopetrol are quoted as saying on their website: “In order to achieve the target of producing 1.3 million clean barrels per day in 2020, the company has been making significant efforts in relation to eco-efficiency: better use of resources, a rational use of energy sources, a reduction in discharges, waste, emissions and costs associated with energy consumption and products.”

However, local residents are reportedly demanding immediate solutions to the problem, claiming that it is happening all the time without any action ever being taken.

Meanwhile, Ecopetrol, Colombia’s state-run oil company, recently announced that it will commence fracking operations in the United States.

The fracking operation will reportedly be carried out with US oil company Occidental Petroleum in Midland, a major oil region in the Permian Basin in the state of Texas.

Reports said that the fracking operation is the Colombian company’s first and, according to CEO Felipe Bayon Pardo, the business “milestone” will be “in line with our new strategy”.

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