Venezuela has only one gasoline refinery working because it struggles to restore two key crops, making a scarcity so extreme drivers and truckers are queuing up for hours — even days — for gasoline.
A gasoline-making unit on the Puerto La Cruz refinery, accounting for simply 14 p.c of Venezuela’s gasoline refining capability, is the one one left functioning within the nation after pump and compressor issues took down the Cardon and Amuay refineries final week, and tried repairs failed, in accordance with individuals accustomed to the matter who requested to not be named as the knowledge shouldn’t be public.
Though it accommodates the world’s largest oil reserves and one in all South America’s greatest refining services, Venezuela has been struggling for years to satisfy home demand of 120,000 barrels a day, a scenario that worsened with US sanctions. Gasoline shortages are widespread, with the nation routinely experiencing capability drops. Presently, capability is down 86 p.c.
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On Wednesday each affected refineries had been processing crude, however weren’t producing gasoline. Gasoline has solely been extensively accessible in Caracas, the place the federal government ensures well timed provides out of concern of protests. When the nation confronted shortages this extreme in 2020, it deployed troopers to guard gasoline stations.
Representatives of the state-run oil firm PDVSA and people of the refineries didn’t reply to requests for remark. PDVSA goals to begin producing gasoline on Thursday, in accordance with one of many individuals.
Since 2020 PDVSA has diverted gasoline from its japanese facility in Puerto La Cruz to different components of the nation despite the fact that it’s meant to feed native demand. The nation’s 5 refineries’ mixed capability is 1.28 million barrels a day.
