Peruvian authorities spot new oil spill near Repsol refinery

(Bloomberg) – Peruvian authorities said they spotted a new oil spill near a Repsol SA-operated refinery during a routine inspection, according to a statement.

Peru’s environmental authority OEFA said the oil spill at the port of La Pampilla refinery affected a 300 square meter area. It was discovered on April 15 at the multi buoy terminal 2, which is regularly inspected after a major oil spill affected the area last year.

Repsol had been required to “immediately and with urgency” report on the causes and measures taken to minimize the impact of the event, environmental officials said. 

In a later statement, Repsol said the spill was a “migratory stain” with the appearance of burnt fishing and motor oil that wasn’t related to the 2022 spill or with the La Pampilla refinery. The multi buoy has been idle since January last year and is free from hydrocarbons. Clean up procedures have started.

Madrid-based Repsol spilled over 10,000 boe into the Pacific Ocean in January 2022, the largest ever in Peru. The Spanish energy giant operates the La Pampilla refinery, in El Callao province, the Andean nation’s largest that accounts for just over 50% of the country’s refining capacity.

The government-imposed fines worth about $5.75 million on Repsol over the 2022 accident.