Ecuador's state-owned PetroEcuador is burying several sections of the 360,000 b/d Sote crude pipeline and the 12,300 b/d Quito-Ambato-Riobamba refined products pipeline to protect them from a potential eruption of the Cotopaxi volcano.
Small explosions and a steady stream of ash plumes began in August at the snow-capped 5,897m (19,347ft) volcano, located 50km (31mi) south of Quito.
An eruption threatens to trigger massive floodwaters and mudslides that could reach the coastal region in a worst-case scenario.
PetroEcuador has so far buried 8km of the 503km Sote, which transports mainly 28°API Oriente crude from Ecuador's oil district in the Amazon to the Pacific port of Balao in Esmeraldas province.
The goal is to bury a 17km section near the San Pedro river in Cotopaxi's immediate path, a PetroEcuador official told Argus.
PetroEcuador already buried 17km of the 6'' Quito-Ambato-Riobamba products pipeline and is opening two paths under the Cutuchi river to protect the infrastructure from floodwaters. The line transports gasoline and premium diesel from the El Beaterio products terminal in Quito to the highland cities of Ambato and Riobamba.
PetroEcuador is also monitoring the 305km 9,500 b/d Shushufindi-Quito pipeline that transports low octane gasoline and LPG from the 20,000 b/d Shushufindi (Amazonas) refinery to El Beaterio.
On 14 August, President Rafael Correa declared a 60-day state of emergency, paving the way for the mobilization of security forces and release of extraordinary government funds.
The melting Cotopaxi snow could overflow rivers, including Cutuchi, San Pedro, Pastaza and Guayllabamba, where the new 60MW Manduriacu hydroelectric plant is located.
Ecuador's deputy electricity minister Medardo Cadena has ruled out a potential risk of destruction of the Manduriacu and the 156MW Agoyan hydroelectric complex that take waters from the Pastaza river.
In 1877 when the last massive eruption of the Cotopaxi took place, mudflows traveled some 225km from Ecuador's highlands to coastal provinces. The debris flowed through several secondary rivers to reach the Guayllabamba basin, according to historical records.
Ecuador's state-owned utility Celec is taking measures to protect power transmission infrastructure that could be damaged by ash plumes, and the Mulalo substation, considered vulnerable to mudflows.
Celec says it has deployed equipment to remove ash from the 138kV Mulalo-Vicentina transmission line and has installed two mobile substations in the event of potential shortfalls and damages at Mulalo.
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