Project Profile
Location: Falcón state, Venezuela
Capacity: 955,000 bpd
Start-up year: 1949
The Paraguaná Refinery Complex is a crude oil refinery complex in Venezuela. It is considered the world\'s third largest refinery complex. The Paraguaná Refinery Complex was created by the fusion of Amuay Refinery, Bajo Grande Refinery and Cardón Refinery. The Paraguana Refinery Complex is still the largest refinery in the Western Hemisphere. As of 2012, it refines 955 thousand bpd (151,800 cmd). The complex is located in the Paraguaná Peninsula in Falcón state (Amuay and Cardón refineries) and the western coast of Lake Maracaibo in the Zulia state (Bajo Grande Refinery). The complex accounts for 71% of the refining capacity of Venezuela and it belongs to the state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).
The Cardón Refinery started operations in 1949 with capacity to refine 30 thousand bpd (4,800 cmd). It was owned by Royal Dutch Shell. It currently handles 305 thousand barrels per day (48,500 cmd). The Amuay Refinery was established by Creole Petroleum in 1950. It started having a capacity of 60 thousand bpd (9,500 cmd) and nowadays it can refine 645 thousand bpd (102,500 cmd). The Bajo Grande Refinery, built in 1956 by Richmond (now Chevron), has the capacity to refine 16 thousand bpd (2,500 cmd).
Operators:
Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA): 100% interest