(Energy Analytics Institute, 16.Mar.2021) — Energy briefs from the Latin America and Caribbean regions Bolivia and Venezuela including Ambar executives seeking a deal for piped gas from Bolivia’s YPFB, PDVSA shutting its Cardón Refinery in Falcón state, and Venezuela reportedly shipping around 50% of its diesel production to Cuba.
Ambar Executives Seeks Gas Deal With YPFB
Executives from the Brazilian company Ambar visited with officials from Bolivia’s state oil and gas entity Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) to discuss acquiring natural gas from the land-locked Andean country.
Ambar is reportedly interested in acquiring piped gas from Bolivian under a firm modality with fixed volumes in order to meet demand at the company’s thermal generation plant in Cuiabá, local newspaper La Razón reported 14 March 2021.
Bolivia’s Former Interim President Jailed
Bolivia’s former interim president Jeanine Añez Chavez has been jailed for her alleged involvement in a coup d’etat against the Bolivian government.
The former leader could be held in jail for up to four months, according to details she posted 14 March 2021 in a Twitter post.
“From here I call on Bolivia to have faith and hope,” Añez wrote on Twitter. “One day, together, we will build a better Bolivia,” she said.
PDVSA Shuts Cardón Refinery In Falcón State
Venezuela’s state oil giant Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) halted gasoline production at its Cardón Refinery due to serious issues that forced an uncontrolled shutdown of the refinery.
Cardón was supposedly the last PDVSA refinery in operation. Cardón was reportedly producing between 40,000 to 42,000 barrels per day of diesel, although it has a combined installed capacity 305,000 barrels per day, Luis Stefanelli, National Assembly Deputy for Falcón state wrote on 15 March 2021 in a series of twitter posts.
The refinery was halted in January 2021 for almost two months for major works; however, once back online it didn’t last even a month in operation, the lawmaker wrote.
PDVSA owns six refineries across Venezuela with a combined installed capacity of 1.3 million barrels per day. All have been shut down due to a lack of parts and maintenance to keep them operating, union officials tell Energy Analytics Institute.
Venezuela Giving Gasoline Away To Cuba
The regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is sending almost half of the diesel produced by the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) to its Cuban allies, according to National Assembly Deputy Carlos Valero.
“PDVSA produces 42,000 barrels per day of diesel, but the regime gives Cuba around 16,000 barrels per day,” said Valero on 14 March 2021 in a Twitter post.
Heard On The Street: Conindustria Eyes Colombian Diesel
The Venezuelan Industrial Federation (Conindustria) is said seeking ways to import diesel from neighboring Colombia to assist it cover a severe shortage of the fuel in Venezuela.
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By Ian Silverman and Piero Stewart. © Energy Analytics Institute (EAI). All Rights Reserved.
