Suspected FARC guerrillas detonate explosives on the Caño Limon-Coveñas oil pipeline in the north of Colombia, reported Caracol Radio Tuesday.
A report obtained by Caracol from state-owned oil company Ecopetrol explains the attack occurred in the rural area of La Vereda Campo Alegre, in the department of Norte de Santander.
Oil pumping was suspended and emergency environmental action is being taken to stop oil leaking into tributaries that flow into the Catatumbo river near the border with Venezuela.
Ecopetrol reported that they have activated two control points on the 770 Kilometer line to try to control the leak and expedite repairs.
Police forces are present to help with the recuperation of drilling operations in the area, taking into account the delicate public order situation in this region.
There was a reported attack on the pipeline on February 28, 2011 that caused no damage to crude oil production in the region, and an attack by rebels in July of 2009 on the same pipeline in the Arauca department stopped production for four days.
The most recent bombing comes less than a month after the financial website, assessfinancial.com reported that Ecopetrol is increasing production faster than expected, saying that it will reach its goal of 1 Million barrels per day (BPD) by 2015 thanks in part to a reduction in violence by the FARC.
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