Colombia's attorney general to investigate Ecopetrol oil spill

BOGOTA, April 2 (Reuters) - Colombia's attorney general'soffice on Monday launched an investigation to determine whetherofficials from state-run oil company Ecopetrol could beheld criminally responsible for a oil spill of 550 barrels inSantander province.

The Lisama 158 well, which was in the process of being shutdown because of low production, leaked crude into a ravine overa three-week period, contaminating the water and affectinganimal and plant life.

"The investigation will seek to establish if individualofficials from Ecopetrol were responsible and could bepenalized," an official from the attorney general's office toldReuters.

The country's procurator general - which has the power toremove officials from their jobs - and the environmentallicensing agency are also conducting investigations into theleak.

Ecopetrol Chief Executive Officer Felipe Bayon Pardo toldjournalists late on Monday the company will cooperate fully withall three investigations.

"We will do everything necessary to re-establishenvironmental and social conditions in the area. It's ourcommitment and we will invest the human, financial andtechnological resources which are required," said Bayon.(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb;Editing by Christian Schmollinger)