Catalytic cracker resumes operations in Curacao-based Isla oil refinery

Curacao-based Isla oil refinery, operated by Venezuelan state-run oil company Pdvsa, has restarted operations in the catalytic cracking unit after four months out of service, Ángelo Meier, the president of the company's labor union, told Reuters on Monday.

So far this year, the refinery has been working at some 50% of full capacity (335,000 bpd) due to constant failures in water, steam, and electricity supply amidst faulty operations in Pdvsa's refinery circuit in Venezuela.

"We are resuming operations in the FCCU (Fluid catalytic cracking unit). The refinery has been relying on its own water supply service to avoid interruptions," the union's president said.

The catalytic cracker, which aims at producing light by-products such as gasoline and diesel, has only operated four months this year (March through July) despite attempts to bring operations back to normal.

"Start-up will take nearly four days. We are taking our time to avoid failures," Meier noted.

Translated by Jhean Cabrera