Reuters has reported that Ecuador's government will take over operations of the country's OCP heavy crude oil pipeline for six months until a fresh tender is launched, the nation's energy and mines ministry said on Sunday.
Previously, the ministry said the transfer from OCP Ecuador, a private consortium which had run the pipeline, to the government would be carried out on 30 November but did not specify how long the state would manage the infrastructure.
OCP Ecuador and the government inked a mediation agreement in January for the handover of the pipeline, which can transport up to 450 000 bpd despite operating below capacity. OCP Ecuador's contract had expired on 20 January.