QUITO: Ecuador's energy ministry on Tuesday said it had lifted a force majeure declaration on crude oil exploration and production due to the restart of the 360,000 barrel-per-day SOTE pipeline.

State-run oil company Petroecuador had halted the pipeline last week as a preventative measure against possible environmental damage due to soil erosion in the Amazon region. That prompted the ministry to declare force majeure on crude output on June 4. Exports were not affected.

The pipeline resumed operations on Monday after Petroecuador finished construction of two variants.