Lack of spare parts hits Venezuelan refineries operations

The refining units of state-run oil holding Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) have been hit by several incidents that show failures in preemptive and corrective works in oil processing plants.

The most recent incident occurred in a unit at Pdvsa's Cardón refinery, in Falcón state, northwestern Venezuela. A valve of the catalytic unit was damaged and plant managers were forced to shut down the unit. This incident shows recurrent problems of lack of supplies and long repair works in Venezuelan refineries.

Oil workers affirmed that the damaged valve had been replaced two years ago, when the catalytic unit was upgraded. The valve should have lasted about 15 years. But the spare part was damaged in just two years.

According to oil industry sources, in refinery repairs, the oil industry uses "refurbished parts and equipments." Therefore their life cycle is shorter.

As described by a worker at Paraguaná refining complex (CRP), "Amuay refinery was built 70 years ago and Cardón refinery is older than 60 years. They are old plants and require maintenance works, which used to be made every four years. Now, it takes up to 12 years to perform service maintenance works."