Curacao asks PDVSA to hand over control of Isla refinery

摘要

The Caribbean nation's government is still waiting for PDVSA to respond to its draft proposal,which was sent on Dec.6,that will allow the Venezuelan state-owned oil firm to continue operating the 320K-b/d Isla refinery and Bullen Bay terminal until a new operator is ready to take over.Curacao has blamed PDVSA for a lack of maintenance of the refinery,which has been offline for the majority of the past two years,though a thermal cracking unit is reported to be currently processing heavy crude from Venezuela.Curacao's state-owned refinery company Refinetia di Korsou(RdK)stated that”concrete steps”are being taken to implement the transition period,which will begin on Dec.31 and will end when a future partner takes over the refinery.RdK added,”The agreement for a period of transition should by no means be interpreted as an extension of the present management and operation contract of the refinery.”