The Lago Agrio oil field is an oil-rich area in the Ecuadorian province of Sucumbíos near the city of Nueva Loja, discovered in the 1960s. The Lago Agrio field is known internationally for the serious ecological problems that oil development has created there, including water pollution, soil contamination, deforestation and cultural upheaval.
Since 1993, lawyers representing local residents have sought to force former well operator Texaco and its now parent company Chevron Corporation to clean up the area and to provide for the care of those allegedly affected. In February 2011, an Ecuadorian court ordered Chevron to pay $18 billion in compensation, a ruling the company called "illegitimate" and vowed to appeal.
Read more about Lago Agrio Oil Field: Development and Ownership, Litigation