LIMA (Reuters) – Peru’s state-run oil producer said on Tuesday it had detected an illegal hook-up that caused crude to leak out from its pipeline in the north of the country that runs from the Amazon to the Pacific.
Petroperu did not specify how large the leak was.
The firm, which is undergoing a financial crisis, recently restarted operations through the North Peruvian Oil Pipeline (ONP) following frequent damages due to people stealing crude and from remote communities demanding greater social investment from Petroperu in their area.
The illegal connection point was found in the Olmos district in northwest Peru.
“Petroperu requests the support of authorities to ensure the safety of the ONP and avoid these (issues) caused by third parties which threaten the integrity of this critical asset,” the firm said in a statement.
In 2022, Petroperu lost its investment grade rating from agencies in the wake of financial troubles caused by the $6.5 billion revamp of the Talara refinery funded through bonds, loans and government backing.
Peru is now considering hiring a “private manager” as part of Petroperu’s restructuring plan, which would also sell off non-operative assets and slash payroll.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by David Gregorio)
