Shell Mera was established in 1937 as a Shell Oil Company base. The base consisted of little more than several basic shacks and a airstrip. It was operated as part of Shell's prospecting efforts in the region. The base was located near some Indian tribes who strongly opposed the exploitation of resources found in their ancestral territories. The Indians attacked Shell several times, resulting in the deaths of several employees. The oil company abandoned the base in 1948. However, it is more likely that business prospects had more to do with the decision. It was during this time that the Middle East rose in prominence in the oil industry, since it was becoming much more productive. After ten years of prospecting in Ecuador, the oil company had not produced any oil from the region.
