QUITO -(Dow Jones)- The average price of Petroecuador's Oriente crude oil for export was $26.55 per barrel on Dec. 31, up 51% from $17.60 per barrel Dec. 24, Petroecuador said Friday.

Petroecuador also exports Napo crude oil from fields formerly owned by Occidental Petroleum Co.(OXY) but seized by the government in May 2006. Block 15, the Eden-Yuturi and the Limoncocha fields were seized because, the government said, Occidental had broken the terms of its operating contract.

The average price of Napo crude oil for export was $21.06 per barrel Dec. 31, up 89% from $11.12 per barrel Dec. 24, according to Petroecuador.

Ecuador typically exports 120,000 barrels per day of Oriente crude and 60,000 barrels per day of Napo crude.

Crude oil is Ecuador's main export. The oil price estimate in the country's 2008 fiscal budget is $45 per barrel.

-By Mercedes Alvaro, Dow Jones Newswires; 5939-9728-653; mercedes.alvaro@ dowjones.com

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  01-09-09 0942ET
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