Venezuela's smallest refinery, the 146,000-bpd El Palito plant in the country's central region, has restarted its fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU), the unit that makes motor fuel. Four refinery workers said the FCCU needed several attempts before it came into service and is now processing about 35,000 bpd.
The restart follows twin earthquakes in late June that left El Palito without power. Workers said the refinery has been reactivating its operating units slowly in recent days. "The FCC is working and we are trying to boost (output)," one worker said.
The FCCU turns crude fractions into gasoline and other motor fuel, a step in downstream refining.
Fuel supply since the quakes
Venezuela's oil ministry said over the weekend that fuel supply is guaranteed in all regions, including coastal La Guaira state. The ministry did not give volume figures. Gasoline lines outside stations have stayed short, a sign distribution has kept pace with demand.
The earthquakes did not cause major damage to Venezuela's energy infrastructure. Oil production and exports have continued without interruption, though power and water service remain the public services most affected.
