WILLEMSTAD — PdVSA is investing substantially in upgrading the old storage tanks at Bullen Bay. In particular, the old sagging roof covering will be replaced with new aluminum roofing of the dome-type.
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Such roofing is relatively new and a popular application with fuel storage tanks. Considerably fewer fumes evaporate due to its form and the material. This saves losses and is furthermore less damaging for the environment. For that matter, the new roof covering is an expensive matter. The modern construction and materials costs many millions.
There is a high demand for oil storage capacity. Bopec on Bonaire and Statia Oil Terminals are marketable. Several companies had kept hard at Curaçao Oil Terminal (COT) during the past year. Curoil had also shown interest in the tanks. Moreover, the location Bullen Bay is considered a possible alternative for a modern oil-refinery if the antiquated Isla-refinery closed down at the Schottegat.
It seems its heading towards that direction. The refinery has been operating at less than half power since September in spite of a foreign company’s interest. The cat cracker is currently in operation along with a number of linked production units. The other 60-70 percent of the refinery is non-operational, which is due to the extremely limited supply of steam and electricity by the BOO power station that has been coping with capacity problems for months now. According to sources within the Isla, there is considerable obscurity on the production regarding the functioning and energy supply in the near future.
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