Paraguaná Refinery Complex
Petróleos de Venezuela | |
Commissioned | 1949 |
---|---|
Capacity | 940,000 bbl/d (149,000 m3/d) |
Refining units | Amuay Refinery, Cardón Refinery and Bajo Grande Refinery |
The Paraguaná Refinery Complex (
History
The Cardón Refinery of
In 1997, a joint venture of
As of 2022[update] Iranian state firms were negotiating to repair the refinery complex.[6]
Incidents
Since president Hugo Chávez fired 18,000 PDVSA employees and replaced them with avowed loyalists of his own party, PDVSA has suffered from a series of safety and productivity problems.[7][8]
In 2003, two workers were injured in an explosion at an electrical substation at the Amuay refinery. In 2005, six accidents happened, including an explosion in November 2005, which killed five workers and injured 20. In 2006, five accidents happened which killed three and injured five workers.[9] In the same year, the 54,000-barrel-per-day (8,600 m3/d) catalytic reformer unit was temporarily shut down due to a fire in a furnace 'blew out'.[5]
In March 2011, a fire that broke out at the
2012 explosion
On 25 August 2012 at 01:11 (05:41 GMT), an explosion caused by the ignition of a leaking gas at the Amuay refinery killed 48 people, primarily National Guard troops stationed at the plant, and injured 151 others.[12] A 10-year-old boy was among the dead.[13][14] Three days of national mourning was declared by President Hugo Chávez.[15] He also ordered a probe into the cause of the fire and told his cabinet by telephone that "[this] affects us all, the great Venezuelan family, civilian and military. It's very sad, very painful."[16]
According to PDVSA Vice-President Eulogio Del Pino a leak of propane and butane gas was detected an hour before the blast. However, the contingency plan was not implemented.[17] No operating units were reported damaged by the blast but three storage tanks were burning.[3] All three burning storage tanks were extinguished by 28 August 2012.[18]
In addition to the refinery, more than 1,600 homes were damaged by the shockwave.[19] President Chávez said he was creating a US$23 million fund for clean-up operations and a replacement of destroyed homes.[18] He said that "60 new homes were ready for affected families to move into, 60 more would be finished soon, and a further 137 houses would be handed over next month."[20] He also rejected claims that PDVSA might be responsible for the disaster.[19]
According to president Chávez, the plan was to restart the facility by 31 August.
Venezuelan presidential candidate
Locations
Name | Coordinates |
---|---|
Amuay Refinery | 11°44′27″N 70°12′33″W / 11.74083°N 70.20917°W |
Cardón Refinery | 11°38′02″N 70°13′15″W / 11.63389°N 70.22083°W |
Bajo Grande Refinery | 10°30′16″N 71°38′21″W / 10.50444°N 71.63917°W |
See also
References
- ^
Hiscock, Geoff (2012). Earth Wars: The Battle for Global Resources. ISBN 9781118152911.
- ^ a b Parraga, Marianna; Urribarri, Sailu (26 August 2012). "Venezuela struggles with refinery blaze after deadly blast". Reuters. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ a b
"Deadly explosion rocks Venezuelan refinery". PennWell Corporation. 27 August 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ a b c
"Centro de Refinación de Paraguaná" [Paraguaná Refining Centre] (in Spanish). PDVSA. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ^ a b "PDVSA Paraguana Refinery Venezuela". Bloomberg. 19 April 2006. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ^ Mircely Guanipa; Marianna Parraga; Tibisay Romero (23 May 2022). "Exclusive: After revamping Venezuela's smallest oil refinery, Iran to fix the largest". Reuters. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- ^ "Venezuela's oil industry: Spilling over". The Economist. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
- ^ "Venezuela's economy: Oil leak". The Economist. 26 February 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
- ^ a b "Incidents and accidents involving Venezuela's PDVSA". Reuters. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
- ^ "Pdvsa reports normal operation in Paraguaná refining complex". El Universal. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ^ Urribarri, Sailu (10 March 2012). "Two Venezuelan refineries temporarily shut after system faults". Reuters. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
- ^ De Abreu, Lissy (28 August 2012). "A devastating fire at Venezuela's main oil refinery, spread Monday". Petroleumworld. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ James, Ian (25 August 2012). "Refinery blast kills 39 in Venezuela, dozens hurt". NBC News. Associated Press. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ^ Neuman, William (25 August 2012). "At Least 39 Killed in Blast at Refinery in Venezuela". The New York Times. Associated Press. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ^ "Venezuela: Chavez orders Amuay refinery blast probe". BBC News. 26 August 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ^ "Probe ordered into Venezuela refinery blast". Al Jazeera. 26 August 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
- ^ Deniz, Roberto (28 August 2012). "Emergency plan in the refinery presumably failed". El Universal. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ a b Parraga, Marianna; Urribarri, Sailu (28 August 2012). "Venezuela fire-fighters struggle with refinery blaze". Reuters. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ a b Parraga, Marianna; Urribarri, Sailu (2 September 2012). "Chaos, demands for answers after Venezuela refinery blast". Reuters. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
- ^ a b c Parraga, Marianna (27 August 2012). "Venezuela refinery could restart Friday". Reuters. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ "'Fire put out' at one Venezuela refinery tank". Al Jazeera. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
- ^ Parraga, Marianna (26 August 2012). "Venezuela: refinery to restart in two days after fire". Reuters. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ a b Neuman, William (27 August 2012). "Venezuelan Government Criticized in Deadly Refinery Blast". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
- ^ "Sindicato acusó al gobierno" [Tragedy in Amuay: union accused the government] (in Spanish). Infobae. 25 August 2012. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.