BOGOTA, Oct. 15 (Reuters) – Colombia’s predominantly state-owned oil company Ecopetrol on Friday reported an attack on an oil pipeline used to transport crude from the La Cira Infantas oil field to the Andean country’s largest refinery, located in the town of Barrancabermeja .

The attack resulted in an oil spill that affected surrounding vegetation and soils, a spokesperson for Ecopetrol (ECO.CN) told Reuters, adding that a fire that had started had been brought under control.

“Ecopetrol rejects violent actions by third parties against the pipeline,” the company said in a statement. He did not provide exact details of the attack.

Attacks on oil pipelines and other infrastructure in Colombia are common, with 28 such incidents recorded until September of this year. In 2020, Ecopetrol recorded 51 attacks on oil infrastructure.

The company did not say who carried out the attacks, but pipelines and oil infrastructure have long been the target of armed groups like the rebels of the National Liberation Army (ELN).

The La Cira Infantas oil field produces around 30,000 barrels of crude per day. Production was not halted at any of the wells after the attack, the spokesperson said.

Ecopetrol, Colombia’s largest company, owns 52% of the field, while the remaining 48% is owned by SierraCol Energy.

Reporting by Oliver Griffin Editing by Paul Simao

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