Explosion at Venezuelan treatment plant

Venezuela

PUNTO FIJO, September 1, 2015 – A gas treatment plant of state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) in the Cardon IV block, was hit by an explosion Monday evening, though the resulting fire was contained quickly, and no injuries were reported.

The explosion “was the result of a ruptured fuel system heater that is being tested,” PDVSA said on Twitter. The company is investigating why the heater may have exploded, and what, if any, permanent damage was done.

The Cardon IV block forms part of the Perla reservoir in the Gulf of Venezuela. PDVSA’s gas treatment plant at the asset came on line in July. The block is operated Spain’s Repsol and Italy’s Eni and it is the largest of Latin America’s offshore gasfields, with a volume of 481 bcm (17 tcf), according to Eni’s estimations.

Speaking to the press on conditions of anonymity, workers at the plant said that the explosion occurred during a shift change, so the treatment facilities were empty.

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