Us oil giant hunt oil illegally burns 55.5 million cubic meters of gas at peru export terminal

A major investigation by Peruvian newsroom Convoca, conducted in partnership with research group Point Source, has revealed that US-based Hunt Oil Company has been releasing massive volumes of unauthorized greenhouse gas emissions from its liquefied natural gas export terminal in Peru for over a year.

The company has burned off an estimated 55.5 million cubic meters of unused natural gas through a process called flaring, all without proper environmental authorization from Peruvian authorities. This practice represents a significant source of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, while also wasting valuable energy resources that could have been captured and used.

Hunt Oil operates one of Peru’s major gas export facilities, making it a critical piece of the country’s energy infrastructure and export economy. However, the unauthorized emissions highlight ongoing challenges in environmental oversight of multinational energy operations in Latin America. Gas flaring is commonly used by oil and gas companies to burn off excess natural gas that cannot be captured or sold, but it typically requires environmental permits due to its climate impact.

The investigation underscores broader concerns about corporate accountability in the global energy sector, particularly regarding US companies operating in developing nations. The scale of the unauthorized emissions—equivalent to burning enough natural gas to power thousands of homes—raises questions about both environmental compliance and the effectiveness of international oversight of energy operations.