August 29, 2024--Written by Amir Richani for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Ecuador's economy minister, Juan Carlos Vega, told Teleamazonas that the country will start shutting down the Ishpingo, Tambococha, and Tiputini oil block, known as the ITT, after August 31. PetroEcuador operates the oil block in the Amazonian province of Orellana.

In August last year, Ecuadorians supported closing down the ITT Block in a referendum with 59% of the votes. The oil complex, one of Ecuador's biggest, is located in the Yasuni natural reserve, a protected environmental zone and an area where indigenous communities live.