A new Ecuadorian natural-gas project has unusual sponsors—Cree Indians from Canada and nine Ecuadorian Amazon indigenous groups, five of which are in danger of extinction. Natural gas flared off for decades at the Sacha oilfield in the Amazonian province of Sucumbíos will be captured, processed into liquefied form and sold primarily for home use under a 14-year concession granted in January by Petroecuador, the state oil company. A consortium controlled by two indigenous-owned companies—Ecuador’s Amazon Gas and Canada’s Keyano Pimee Exploration—holds the concession, which is intended both to promote development of indigenous communities and stem pollution from the flare-offs. The two companies are putting up 30% of the $34.5 million investment in equal shares, and multilateral institutions are... [Log in to read more]