Enap discovers oil in eastern Ecuador

Chile’s state-owned Empresa Nacional del Petróleo (Enap) has discovered oil in eastern Ecuador. Once production results are obtained, Enap said in a mid-December release, next steps include preparation of a field development plan to be reviewed and approved by Ecuador's Ministry of Environment and Energy.

The Pambil A-1 exploration well, which the company began drilling in September, sits at the southern end of Block 47 in Orellana province in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The well is “the first of its kind drilled in the area near the structure known as Culebra-Yulebra,” the company said, adding that the discovery “opens the door to a new hydrocarbon development area” in the country.

Enap’s exploration in the region began in 2023 and is part of a larger plan to expand oil reserves in the country. Enap currently produces about 30,000 b/d of oil in Ecuador and, as of September 2025, has cumulatively produced 140 million bbls since it began operating in the country in 2003.

Enap holds 100% stake in the Mauro Dávalos Cordero (MDC), Paraíso Biguno Huachito (PBH), and Intracampos oil production blocks, operating under a service contract.