A massive explosion and fire hit the Petrocedeño crude upgrader 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 event occurred in the afternoon at the José Antonio Anzoátegui Petrochemical Complex, located in the heart of the Orinoco Belt of Venezuela.
According to sources cited by Reuters and local media, the explosion occurred near the facility’s distillation tower.
The fire was reported to have potentially spread to a nearby gasoline plant, raising concerns of a cascading emergency.
In response 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 racing towards the complex, although authorities have not yet confirmed any injuries or deaths.
PDVSA teams managed to contain the fire late in the afternoon.
The incident hits a central component of the oil-dependent Venezuelan economy.
Crude upgraders like Petrocedeño are crucial to converting the country’s vast extra-heavy crude reserves into exportable grades.
The repeated fires at such a key facility reflect the serious vulnerabilities caused by years of underinvestment, insufficient maintenance and the chilling effect of international sanctions.
This is the second fire to hit the Petrocedeño upgrader in June alone, highlighting the significant operational and safety challenges affecting PDVSA as it struggles to revive its oil industry.
