In July 1998, there was an environmentalemergency caused by an oil spill in an Ecuadorian pipelineoperated by PETROECUADOR (Petróleos del Ecuador). Onepart of the spilled volume reached the Pacific Ocean and themarine currents caused the oil slick to approach the Colombiancoast, creating an environmental hazard. ECOPETROL(Empresa Colombiana de Petróleos) activated its contingencyplan in the Port of Tumaco to meet the emergency. As a result ofthe above experience both companies signed a MutualCooperation Agreement to Combat and Control Oil Spills Causedby Oil Tankers and Coastal and Marine Oil Facilities, in October1999. The Agreement was established in order to allow for aquick and effective joint response in emergency situations of thisnature. The bilateral agreement is activated when resources, staffand equipment of the affected party are insufficient. At present itis under implementation. In addition, ECOPETROL andPETROECUADOR, as part of the regional cooperation processon oil spill contingency planning led by ARPEL in Latin Americaand the Caribbean, involved the Agreement in the framework ofthe environmental cooperation program with the CanadianInternational Development Agency (CIDA) to optimize suchagreement. This bilateral agreement represents the first real casein Latin America in terms of implementation of the Cooperationin the OPRC 90 Convention, through the joint work ofgovernment/industry, and serves as an example for the othercountries in the Region.
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