Repsol acknowledges massive oil spill in Peru

Peru’s environment ministry and Repsol SA has increased the estimated size of a Pacific Ocean oil spill at a company refinery to over 10,000 barrels - significantly higher than an initial estimate of 6,000 barrels, Report informs referring to Reuters.

Repsol said it had calculated the oil spilled to be equivalent to 10,396 barrels, in response to a revised government estimate that put the number at 12,000 barrels.

The Spanish company has faced widespread backlash for the spill, which took place near capital Lima on January 15. Peruvian President Pedro Castillo has called it the biggest ecological disaster to affect the country in recent years.

Repsol added that 35% of the oil spilled has already been recovered.

Earlier in the day, a Peruvian judge barred four Repsol executives from leaving the country for 18 months as prosecutors investigate the cause of the oil spill.

The spill took place at Repsol’s La Pampilla refinery, which the company has blamed on what it says were unusual waves triggered by a massive volcanic eruption in Tonga thousands of kilometers (miles) away.