Ecuador's state oil company Petroecuador on Friday declared force majeure on its exports due to protests by local residents in the Amazon region and low stocks in its refinery system. Petroecuador crude exports average 225,000 barrels per day.
The company said it was forced to reduce exports by at least 36,000 bpd because of a 3-week-long protest at the country's Block 18 oilfield, where Brazilian firm Petrobras is operating. Petrobras has a participation agreement under which the Brazilian company gives the Ecuadorean government around 50 percent of its output.