Oil spills in Peru

The Lobitos oil spill occurred during pre-shipment maneuvers for oil on the Polyaigos vessel at the Talara Refinery underwater terminal, managed by Petroperú in the district of Lobitos, located in the province of Talara in Piura, Peru. 

The presence of hydrocarbons was detected during certification for loading procedures. The event impacted five beaches in the district of Lobitos and caused serious damage to the marine-coastal ecosystem, affecting biodiversity and generating significant economic and social impacts.

Veterinarians and biologists from the National Forest and Wildlife Service (SERFOR) worked to rescue and rehabilitate the affected animals. In addition, local fishermen reported the deaths of dolphins and other marine species, while images on social media showed the oil affecting critical areas such as turtle nesting areas and benthic ecosystems. 

The contamination also reached rocky areas where barnacles grow, referred to as an important species for maintaining the local ecosystem's balance. The District Municipality of Lobitos confirmed that crabs, octopuses and other species were also affected.

Petroperú began operations at the Punta Arenas Multiboyas Terminal during the afternoon,  to load petroleum onto a vessel at the Talara Refinery's underwater terminal. However, while waiting for certification to begin loading at night, a spill of unknown origin was reported, prompting the company to activate its contingency plan and begin an investigation. 

As a result, at least 10,000 square meters of sea and a 10-kilometer stretch of the coastline were contaminated, affecting beaches such as Las Capullanas, El Anchón, Las Dos Piernas, Yapato, and La Bola, important tourist destinations in the region.

Repsol SA is being sued for $1 billion by an English law firm representing around 35,000 alleged victims for its involvement in Peru’s largest oil spill in 2022. 

Tom Goodhead, chief executive officer of Pogust Goodhead, said the lawsuit was filed last week in The Hague, where a company owning Repsol’s Peru subsidiary is registered. The lawsuit is tied to the 2022 spill in which 10,000 barrels of oil were spilled into the Pacific Ocean as oil was being discharged onto the La Pampilla refinery, owned by Repsol. 

Repsol said in a statement it was aware of the Dutch lawsuit, but dismissed it as “meritless.” It said Repsol has spent over $270 million repairing damage caused by the spill, including in paying compensation to those affected. That’s much less than what Pogust Goodhead hopes to reap.  

London-based Goodhead said it had signed on some 35,000 people onto the class action, mostly during the last few months of 2023. He traveled to Lima as part of the effort and said people impacted by the spill feel “absolute fury and anger” about what happened.

Spanish energy giant Repsol has been hit with almost €5.5 million in fines by Peru’s environmental authorities over an oil spill off the country’s coast last year.

Three new fines were issued for “administrative responsibilities” relating to the spill, according to the Environmental Assessment and Monitoring Agency (OEFA).

The company has already been forced to pay over €11 million for its poor handling of the disaster.

The OEFA also issued administrative measures against Repsol, giving the company two days to identify the areas affected by the oil spill and 10 business days to clean up the affected area, among other remediation efforts.

Two weeks later, the OEFA announced that after Repsol’s failure to comply with some of the 12 administrative measures imposed on the company, it would initiate the process for imposing fines upon Repsol.

Prosecutor's Office requested an impediment to Repsol executives from leaving the country.

Affected communities are seeking clarity on support measures, while a strong social and ecological activism movement is leading to scores of untrained and unprotected people taking to beaches to tend to wildlife affected by the spill, risking their health in the process. Repsol reports they have scaled up clean-up personnel from 1,800 to 2,200 and have deployed more than 70 heavy machinery units, 27 large vessels, and 90 boats to tackle the remaining clean-up. The oil company also indicates they have installed 4,400m of containment barriers and removed more than 10,000 m3 of affected sands for treatment or about 2,000 containers’ worth. 

Following the Government’s request for UN support, a team of personnel from OCHA, the OCHA and UN Environment Programme (UNEP)-led Joint Environment Unit (JEU), UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) and technical experts identified by the JEU is deploying to provide analysis and recommendations on disaster response and coordination. 

On Wednesday, the President of the Republic, Pedro Castillo, flew over the areas affected by the oil spill. The following day, he signed a supreme decree declaring the climate emergency of national interest. The Peruvian Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation for environmental contamination against the La Pampilla  Refinery. For its part, Repsol defends that neither the Peruvian government nor the Navy issued tsunami alerts on the Peruvian coast, so its operations were not suspended.

The spill began in the early morning during the process of unloading crude oil at the La Pampilla refinery of the Spanish company Repsol in Callao. Initially, Repsol indicated that only 7 gallons of crude oil had been spilled, but in the morning it was found that the magnitude of the disaster was vastly greater, calculating 6,000 barrels dumped into the sea.

2000s Renewed interest in oil exploration, especially in the Amazon basin, spurred growth. Companies like Pluspetrol and Repsol became active players.

1990s Under President Alberto Fujimori, parts of Petroperú were privatized to attract foreign investment and modernize the sector.

Since the 1970s Peru experienced an oil boom, driven by rising global oil prices. The Amazon region, especially the Marañón Basin, became a significant area for exploration.

The discovery in 1977 of the Camisea natural gas fields, though not exploited until later, highlighted the potential of hydrocarbons in the Peruvian Amazon.

1980s Falling oil prices and economic challenges hindered the industry’s growth.

A military government led by General Juan Velasco Alvarado nationalized the oil industry, expropriating IPC's assets. This move led to the creation of Petroperú, the state-owned oil company.

Since the 1940s Peru continued to develop its oil industry, focusing on boosting domestic production to reduce dependence on imports.

Since the 1920s Talara emerged as a key oil-producing region. Infrastructure developments, such as refineries and pipelines, supported increased output.

The Talara Basin in northwestern Peru became a major focus of exploration and production. Companies like the British-based International Petroleum Company (IPC) played a significant role.

The first oil well in South America was drilled in Zorritos, in the Tumbes region of northern Peru, making Peru a pioneer in the continent's oil production.
Small-scale oil production began, primarily for local use.