Community Environmental Monitoring

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Platform Restoration and Seismic Testing

The two wells drilled by OXY did not show enough oil to be commercially viable. One is considered "dry" and the platform has been officially "abandoned." This means that the company is responsible for reforesting the land. The other well had some oil so the company is postponing reforestation pending further exploration, but has temporarily left the site. Monitoring, however, has continued. As OXY's subcontractors left, Secoya monitors called attention both to suspicious fish kills - possibly caused by overflow from holding tanks - and to trash that was dumped rather than carried out (right).

Currently, both platforms are being monitored to determine the extent of vegetation coverage and of erosion, both factors that will detemine the success of genuine reforestation.

Monitors have measured high mortality in the plants used for reforestation, due largely to poor methodology and lack of follow-through on the part of the company. They also called attention to the use of plants improperly taken from Secoya territory; OXY agreed to pay a penalty and promised to provide plants from nurseries for further negotiation.

In late 2001, OXY began seismic testing in Secoya territory as well. This work has a less intensive impact than does the platform construction, but it affects a much larger area. ISIS and the Secoya monitors are developing methods for monitoring changes in fauna populations, particularly birds and mammals, since noise is one of the most significant impacts of the testing.

Secoya monitors are being trained by a consulting biologist (left) and are applying their own knowledge of the forest animals to the development of protocols (right). We are also monitoring the teams cutting the seismic trails to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and record impacts on flora and soils.

These Amazon Projects pages are historical. For current information, please visit laslianas.org.

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