PdV partially restarts key refinery units

Venezuelan state-owned PdV's 635,000 b/d Amuay refinery has partially restarted crude processing almost two weeks after an electricity blackout shut down the 940,000 b/d CRP refining complex, a senior oil union official tells Argus.

The restart could help to alleviate severe fuel shortages across Venezuela.

The CRP includes Amuay and the nearby 305,000 b/d Cardon refinery, which PdV operates as an integrated downstream unit.

The official based at the CRP said Amuay´s 104,000 b/d fluidized catalytic cracker is processing over 65,000 b/d.

PdV repair crews have also restarted two of Amuay's five distillation units which together are processing about 130,000 b/d.

PdV routinely states that its downstream operations are functioning normally.