Acts of vandalism against the North Peruvian Pipeline put the lives of the nearby population at risk

This is an automated translation of the original release published in Spanish.

Petroperu statement

In the midst of the social context that is taking place in the country, a new attack against the North Peruvian Pipeline (ONP) was reported yesterday, 01.16.2023, when a group of protesters directly set fire to the ONP pipeline at kilometer 389 of Section II, near the native community El Paraíso, in the district of Chiriaco, province of Bagua, Amazonas region.

This act of vandalism is considered to be of high risk, since by affecting the integrity of the pipeline it could cause a hydrocarbon spill that – added to the fire – could lead to an explosion with fatal consequences for the nearby communities and the protesters themselves.

For this reason, Petroperú denounces this serious act that endangers the lives of the nearby population and could generate a large-scale environmental catastrophe. Likewise, it requests that the authorities take the corresponding actions to protect the ONP and identify those responsible. Likewise, it reiterates the immediate cessation of the attacks against this industrial infrastructure.

This new attack, which is added to those caused on 01.14.2023 at kilometers 371 and 440 of the ONP, also in the Amazonas region, has already been communicated to the corresponding entities such as the PNP, OSINERGMIN, OEFA, MINEM, the Public Ministry, among others. At the first point, an excavation with the possible detonation of an explosive device was even detected.

Petroperú reiterates that the ONP is a Critical National Asset that must be protected to guarantee safe and sustained operation of the transportation of hydrocarbons, but above all to safeguard the integrity of people and care for the environment.