An oil spill caused by sabotage has polluted 1.5 hectares of land in the Amazon province of Sucumbios, said Ecuador's state-run oil firm PetroEcuador in a statement Wednesday.
"Anti-social elements" tried to open a plug valve in a pipeline, but they resorted to cutting it open with a saw when they discovered it had been soldered shut, said the statement.
The oil spill has reached a marsh alongside the Ocano River, the company said.
Energy officials did not say exactly how much oil had leaked, but said environmental protection staff were dealing with the emergency.
Oil companies in Ecuador have long been the target of theft and other sabotage, which has threatened production.
However, PetroEcuador said that despite the attack, petrol production remains at around 169,000 barrels per day.
Source: Xinhua
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