- An explosion at Venezuela’s Muscar gas complex has severely disrupted oil and gas production, damaging critical infrastructure.
- The incident caused a 78% drop in gas production in the Oriente region, impacting power plants and industrial facilities.
- PDVSA is working to clear debris and assess damage, while the recovery timeline remains uncertain, affecting Venezuela’s energy sector and economy.
An explosion at Venezuela’s Muscar gas complex has severely damaged the country’s energy infrastructure. The blast and subsequent fire destroyed gas pipelines and high-pressure pipes crucial for transporting hydrocarbons, significantly impacting light crude oil production, extra-heavy crude processing, and the national gas supply.
Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) confirmed the accident crippled vital facilities. The explosion hit the storage and treatment centre for associated gas from the northern Monagas oil fields. These fields, including Punta de Mata and El Furrial, produce up to 150,000 barrels of light crude oil daily, essential for diluting extra-heavy crude from the Orinoco Belt.
Production in Punta de Mata and El Furrial has plummeted due to damaged pipelines and compressors transporting high-pressure gas. This disruption has cut off the supply of light crude needed to process extra-heavy oil at local refineries.
A PDVSA official called the situation “catastrophic” and reported a drastic reduction in oil production volumes from the Orinoco Belt. PDVSA has enacted emergency measures to contain the fallout.
The Muscar complex previously processed up to 1 billion cubic feet of gas daily, providing 65% of Venezuela’s natural gas supply. Following the explosion, gas production in the Oriente region has dropped by 78%, from 2.3 billion cubic feet to just 500 million cubic feet per day.
The reduction in gas output has crippled industrial and energy operations in Anzoátegui, Sucre, and Nueva Esparta states. Gas-fired power plants, the Jose petrochemical complex, and the Metor I, Metor II, and Fertinitro plants have all shut down. The disruption has also halted gas supplies to companies in the Guayana region.
PDVSA crews are now clearing debris and assessing the extent of the damage. They are considering temporary solutions, such as using portable flares to burn untreated gas. Restoring the Muscar complex will require replacing pipelines and repairing damaged electronic systems.
The path to recovery remains unclear. The explosion exposed the vulnerability of Venezuela’s energy infrastructure. Rebuilding the complex will be lengthy and have far-reaching consequences for the energy sector and the broader economy.
Venezuela’s oil and gas industry, already under strain, now faces even more significant difficulties as it struggles to recover from this disaster. The impact on essential services and economic stability will likely worsen as the country works to rebuild.