Together as one team, the human talent of Maintenance Management of PDVSA Paraguaná Refining Center (CRP) and that of the subsidiary PDV Mantenimiento concreted the safety start up of Alto Vacío 3 (AV3) Plant, located in Cardón Refinery, Paraguaná Peninsula.

Rafael Camacho, Routine Maintenance Manager, said that the repair and Maintenance of nine interchangers, process and service lines, recovery of seven rotary devices and Maintenance of 30 pumps belonging to the Plant started last January.

Mr. Camacho stressed that AV3 activation through own efforts implies savings for 55.5 million dollars a month which, along with the recent start-up of Number 4 Distillery Plant located in Amuay, sum up savings for a total of 127.1 million dollars a month in purchases of vacuum distillate (VGO), a basic component to produce fuel.

AV3 start-up leverages the processing of 23 thousand barrels of (VGO) a day, which acts as a load to the unit of Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (FCC), a vital process to produce fuel. According to Luis García, Major Repairs Superintendent from PDV Mantenimiento, it is about an unreleased operation performed thanks to the experience of 120 people, who jointly worked 96,000 man-hours in order to bring one of the most important facilities of PDVSA’s Refining Circuit into use.

Mr. Robert Córdoba, D&L Superintendent, stressed that the labor was timely to perform associated works “such as circulation and cooling line Maintenance, API system recovery, cable replacement, platform repair, installation of acoustic isolation, bracket replacement, structure fabrication, small tanks cleaning, excavation and fillings”.

Marcel Amundaraín, Cardón Process Manager from the Operation Management, pointed out that “through AV3 start-up we move forwards import substitution, because we can produce 690.000 VGO barrels a month, which means one less ship to import the component during that period of time”.

Once more, PDVSA working force assumes the challenge to transform Venezuelan people’s Industry, under a socialist vision, efficiency and effectiveness, following guidelines from President Nicolás Maduro.

About PDVSA

Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., the state-owned corporation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is responsible for the efficient, profitable, and dependable exploration, production, refining, transport and commerce of hydrocarbons. This company is deeply committed to environmental protection and its main objectives are to foster the harmonic development of the country, to guarantee sovereignty of national resources, to increase endogenous development and to serve and benefit the Venezuelan people, who correspond to their share of the country’s national wealth.