Officials with Ecuador's state-owned oil company say they have regained control of several installations that had been seized by striking contract workers demanding back wages and better working conditions.
Troops fired tear gas as part of the effort to clear out the workers at Petroecuador's facilities Wednesday. The action took place hours after President Alfredo Palacios declared a state of emergency in three provinces because of the walkout.
The two-day strike reduced Petroecuador's crude oil production by hundreds of thousands of barrels. Ecuador normally produces about 535,000 barrels of crude oil daily.
Leaders of the oil workers strike say the walkout will continue because the government has failed negotiate with them.
President Palacio's government is expected to release $20 million by Friday to pay the salaries to the nearly 4,000 workers on strike.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.