Blaze Disrupts Operations at Ecuador's Largest Oil Refinery

A fire at Petroecuador's Esmeraldas oil refinery temporarily halted operations. The fire began in the SEVIA unit's charge pumps, which process vacuum residue. Petroecuador stated the blaze has been contained and poses no spreading risk. It is the second fire incident at the refinery this year.

A fire erupted at Ecuador's largest oil refinery, Esmeraldas, putting operations on hold, according to Petroecuador, the state oil company. The fire occurred in the charge pumps of the SEVIA unit, responsible for processing vacuum residue to produce fuel oil.

With a processing capacity of 110,000 barrels per day, the refinery's disrupted operations created a temporary halt. However, officials stated that the blaze, visible in social media videos, was due to the combustion of spilled material and is under control, posing no risk of spreading.

This marks the second fire at the Esmeraldas refinery this year, although the cause of the current incident remains unspecified.