Minor News out of Peru

It appears that the scandal in Peru regarding Norwegial oil company Interoil is finally reaching something of a resolution: Interoil announced that it will be leaving Peru and selling its operations in the country. Interoil however is also leaving behind a $47.5 million tab with Peru-Petro, another oil company. Interoil is disputing the charge. According to Peru-Petro, the Interoil exploited its oil field for one year without permission or compensation. The responsibility for the lawsuit will pass to Interoil’s new owner, Peruvian businessman Jorge Rivera.

In a separate article, El Comercio interviewed a Peruvian veteran oil worker, who has spent his career working in oil camps in the Peruvian Amazon. Felix talked about the changes in policies and regulations, and also about the changes in organizational culture in the camps. He worked at “Trompeteros,” a camp in Loreto that was established in 1972. Felix said that, twenty years ago, the oil camps were much more open, and had a less sterile working environment. They would throw large holidays parties, where everyone got drunk and prostitution was rampant. There was a large divide between the senior officials at the oil fields and the lower-level workers: they lived separately, they ate separately, and they worked separately.

Today, said Felix, everything is different. He explained that the camps are completely independent from their local surroundings, in order to limit their impact on the local indigenous communities and the environment. In addition, very strict policies have been implemented prohibiting alcohol consumption and sexual activity in the camps. All of the workers arrive by plan, work for 15 days straight, and then leave. In addition, the divide that used to exist between the workers has largely dissolved. Felix stressed that these changes have been for the better and have helped improve the professionalization of the workplace in these camps.