A massive explosion and fire hit the Petrocedeño crude oil upgrading facility in eastern Venezuela on Wednesday, November 19, marking the second major incident at the critical facility this month and underscoring the perilous state of the country’s oil infrastructure.
The incident took place in the afternoon at the José Antonio Anzoátegui Petrochemical Complex, located in the heart of Venezuela’s Orinoco belt.
According to sources cited by Reuters and local media, the explosion ignited near the plant’s distillation tower.
The fire was reported to have potentially spread to a nearby naphtha plant, raising concerns of a cascading emergency.
Responding to the situation, emergency teams from the state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA), which operates the project, quickly began a large-scale evacuation of personnel from the site.
Ambulances were seen rushing to the complex, although officials have yet to confirm any injuries or fatalities.
PDVSA crews managed to contain the fire late in the evening.
The incident hits a core component of Venezuela’s oil-dependent economy.
Crude upgraders like Petrocedeño are critical to converting the country’s vast reserves of extra-heavy crude into exportable grades.
The repeated blazes at such a key facility indicate the serious vulnerabilities caused by years of underinvestment, inadequate maintenance and the crippling effect of international sanctions.
This is the second fire to hit the Petrocedeño upgrade in June alone, highlighting a larger ongoing operational and safety challenge plaguing PDVSA as it struggles to revive its oil industry.
