Ecuador is due to leave the OPEC oil consortium in 2020, allowing it to boost its oil production. The country is also under pressure from China to supply oil because of financial debts. "There's about $14bn that Ecuador owes China right now and that's a big part of the drive to expand production and look for new oil," said Kevin Koenig, from Amazon Watch who authored the report. "In addition there are about $6bn in hidden debt in these oil for loan deals between PetroChina and Petroecuador which Ecuador is paying in barrels of oil."