The Mineral Industry Of Other Areas Of South America - Ecuador

Ecuador's real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 6% in 1976 despite persistent shortages of electrical power and essential fuels, which caused factory slow-downs and shutdowns. Petroleum export earnings, which made up more than 50% of total export value in 19716, totaled $565 million, a 9% increase over those of 1975. A new 60,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery at Esmeraldas was scheduled to go on- stream in mid- 1 97 7, operating entirely on Ecuadorean crude. Corpración Estatal Petró1era Ecualtoriana (CEPE) started construction of a 600-kilometer network of product pipelines which was scheduled to be completed in 1977 to coincide with the completion of the refinery.