With a capacity of 310,000 barrels per day (bpd), Cardon is a key part of the Paraguana refining centre. Credit: Rangsarit Chaiyakun/Shutterstock.

Operations at the active crude distillation units at the Cardon refinery in Venezuela were halted after a fire broke out early Friday (22 March), injuring two workers, reported Reuters, citing sources.  

Sources close to the refinery operations reported that the fire began around 5am local time following a loud explosion and was extinguished a couple of hours later. 

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

The cause of the incident was identified as a gasoline leak, according to the sources.  

The blaze spread to a power substation within the complex, resulting in a power outage and the subsequent shutdown of three distillation units that were in service, they added. 

One of the injured workers sustained minor burns to his arm, while the other was hospitalised for burns to his hair and face.  

“(The leak) occurred after four in the morning and was reported immediately. The firefighters arrived to control it. The staff proceeded to shut down the plant and, while the plant was being stopped (…) the fire broke,” one of the sources was quoted by the publication as saying. 

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Operators at the refining complex were attempting to resume operations on Friday at two of Cardon’s distillation units, the source said. 

With a capacity of 310,000bpd, Cardon is a key part of the Paraguana refining centre, also known as Centro de Refinación Paraguaná, which is among the largest refinery complexes globally.  

It also includes the Amuay refineries on the Paraguana peninsula and the Bajo Grande refinery in Venezuela’s Zulia state. 

In separate news from the Venezuelan oil and gas sector, energy company BP is engaged in discussions with the governments of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago over the development of the shared offshore gas field Manakin-Cocuina.  

Located along the maritime border of the two countries, the field is estimated to contain more than one trillion cubic feet of natural gas.