Oil workers seize oil fields

QUITO
Dozens of oil workers have seized wells in Ecuador’s eastern jungle and threatened to paralyze production if they are not paid about U.S.$500,000 (euro 415,117) in back wages, a spokesman for state-run Petroecuador said Tuesday.

The workers, contract employees for the company’s affiliate, Petroproducción, took over several installations late Monday in Orellana province, about 170 kilometers (105 miles) east of Quito, PetroEcuador spokesman Eduardo Naranjo told The Associated Press.

He said the workers are owed three months back pay that Petro Ecuador had been expecting in a transfer from the Economy Ministry.

“The workers have decided to take action to decrease production” to press their demands, Naranjo said. PetroEcuador reported an overnight loss in production of about 14,000 barrels. The company normally produces about 240,000 barrels daily. Naranjo said the protesters “have threatened that if their just salary demands are not met, they will reduce production to zero.’’’

Petroproducción officials were trying to negotiate with the workers to end the crude slowdown, Naranjo said, adding that he did know how many oil fields or wells were affected.

Ecuador’s oil production has been hit hard in recent weeks by protests in several parts of the jungle.

The government last month ended violent demonstrations in Napo province that disrupted the flow of oil exports by accepting protesters’ demands to sharply increase spending on social programs, roads and a regional airport.

Ecuador normally produces about 535,000 barrels of crude daily, be-tween state and private companies, and oil revenues account for 43 percent of the national budget.