(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 25.Aug.2018) — Valero’s old Aruba refinery will be revitalized as an upgrader.
PDVSA announced the San Nicolás Refinery located in Aruba will be converted into an upgrader in order to process extra-heavy oil from Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez Orinoco Heavy Oil Belt, also known as the Faja.
The upgrader will have capacity to process 200,000 barrels per day, reported PDVSA in an official statement.
Venezuela — the country with the world’s largest oil reserves, and reeling in political, economic and humanitarian crises and suffering from the world’s highest inflation – continues to struggle to stop oil production declines. The country’s refineries and upgraders continue to suffer from a lack of investment, among other issues that continue to affect the OPEC country’s oil patch.
No further financial details related to refinery conversion were revealed by PDVSA.
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