WILLEMSTAD — The Isla-management presented its personnel with the plans for a thorough facelift of the considerably antiquated refinery.
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With an investment of about 1.5 billion dollars, the Isla could become a modern oil producer again within five years. Nevertheless, there are pressing questions attached to the plans.
There was a massive turnout of the refinery-personnel this morning at the presentation in the WTC at Piscadera. "A fine presentation", several co-workers endorsed. First of all, the feasibility depends entirely on a positive outcome of negotiations between oil company PdVSA as tenant of the refinery and the Curaçao government as lessor. "Those negotiations have not even started yet. We all know how difficult it is to enter into negotiations with PdVSA", a person present explained after the presentation.
The BOO-subject had actually not come up during the presentation this morning. The essence of the energy supply for the Isla is obvious since the past months and had come to a head again last week when the supply of electricity, steam, air and water by the BOO had been cut off (see frame).
"Does one have a plan for this as well?" many of those present wondered this morning. The Isla-management confirmed that those at the head office of the stated owned oil company in Caracas are considering the current hitched utility services, "but nothing concrete".
Besides the taut presentation of an upgrading plan, which is to start in about two years’ time and make the Isla a refinery specifically producing profitable fuel products, the skepticism remains with regard to the lack of guarantees and the uncertainty as to how tenant and lessor intend to proceed together.
As yet, this morning’s presentation does not tally with the idea expressed by the Venezuelan Oil-minister Rafael Ramírez last week, namely that Venezuela is supposedly considering withdrawing PdVSA from Curaçao due to undesired American military activities from the FOL-base at Hato-airport. Geopolitical matters were not mentioned this morning.
Isla refinery still down
The Isla-refinery will not be starting up for the time being, as the BOO power plant is still not capable of supplying the required steam, electricity and air. The power plant is mainly coping with defective air compressors.
After problems with the energy supply, the Isla-refinery had come to an 80-percent standstill last week Sunday. The remaining units had also failed during the course of the next evening. The black out had led to a strike. As the fuel distribution was inconvenienced by the strike, there had been a run on the gas stations, which had then run out of supply.
The ruffled feathers were smoothed towards the end of last week. The strikers had resumed their work and the fuel distribution had started going again.
The American newspaper Wall Street Journal announced the possibility of replacement air compressors from Texas to Curaçao. However, shipment of such heavy equipment could take quite a while.
The Isla-refinery will not be starting up for the time being, as the BOO power plant is still not capable of supplying the required steam, electricity and air. The power plant is mainly coping with defective air compressors.After problems with the energy supply, the Isla-refinery had come to an 80-percent standstill last week Sunday. The remaining units had also failed during the course of the next evening. The black out had led to a strike. As the fuel distribution was inconvenienced by the strike, there had been a run on the gas stations, which had then run out of supply. The ruffled feathers were smoothed towards the end of last week. The strikers had resumed their work and the fuel distribution had started going again.The American newspaper Wall Street Journal announced the possibility of replacement air compressors from Texas to Curaçao. However, shipment of such heavy equipment could take quite a while.
NEWS ARTICLE TAKEN FROM WWW.AMIGOE.COM