Hess Corporation announced that it will take a $525 million after-tax charge against its fourth quarter 2011 earnings as a result of the shutdown of the HOVENSA L.L.C. refinery in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, a joint venture between Hess and Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. Following the shutdown, the complex will operate as an oil storage terminal.

HOVENSA said in a release today that its losses at the refinery have totaled $1.3 billion in the past three years alone and were projected to continue. HOVENSA’s losses have been caused primarily by weakness in demand for refined petroleum products due to the global economic slowdown and the addition of new refining capacity in emerging markets. In the past three years, these factors have caused the closure of approximately 18 refineries in the United States and Europe with capacity totaling more than 2 million barrels of oil per day. In addition, the low price of natural gas in the United States has put HOVENSA, an oil-fueled refinery, at a competitive disadvantage.

HOVENSA said it had explored all available options to keep the refinery operating but severe financial losses left it with no other choice.


To see the Hovensa refinery site