What is Petrotal Saying? Problematic Company Statements for Affected Communities

The Canadian oil company, PetroTal S.A., acquired the Bretaña oil field in the province of Loreto, Peru in 2017. It is one of the most productive oil fields in Peru. In 2020, the company temporarily shutdown its operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It opened again in August 2020. According to independent reports, on August 8th, 2020, a group of approximately 70 people from the Kukama Indigenous community protested the operations of the company during the pandemic, the harm to the environment, and the lack of government support for the health system. The protestors initially negotiated with PetroTal representatives, but they did not arrive at an agreement. PetroTal called on the Peruvian National Police, who sent 40 officers to the Bretaña oil field. The police and protestors confronted one another and, as a result, there were at least 10 injured protestors, 6 injured police, and 3 protestors who were killed. It is important to note that the company and the Kukama community’s version of the confrontation have important differences. Some of these differences will be highlighted throughout this report.This report is rooted in a commitment to uphold the right of communities impacted by PetroTal’s operations, to know what the company is saying to its investors about its operations and about those same communities. The objective of this report is to provide this information in an accessible way that enables affected communities to evaluate the truth of the company’s statements for themselves, and to use this information to defend their rights.