Petroecuador to Restart Esmeraldas Refinery After Earthquake

Written by Amir Richani for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Petroecuador (Quito, Ecuador) was forced to shut down its 110,000-barrel-per-day (BBL/d) Esmeraldas refinery on April 25 due to the magnitude-6.3 earthquake that impacted Ecuador.

Based on information gathered by IIR, the state company is assessing possible damage to infrastructure. However, the refinery's gradual restart has already begun, and it is tentatively expected to resume operations by May 1.

Throughout April, the refinery processed crude at a rate above 70% of its total capacity, reaching the highest rate in recent months of 77% capacity the day before the earthquake.

The Esmeraldas refinery is the country's largest, though it has maintained processing rates below 50% of its capacity since November (the oldest shown data), according to the energy ministry's data. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Plant Database can click here for the plant profile.

The energy company began planned maintenance of the refinery's 55,000-BBL/d Train 1 between September and December, which then extended into March, when the government's data shows an increase in processing rates.

Petroecuador also reported that the Transecuadorian oil pipeline (SOTE) restarted pumping on April 25 after company inspection.

Similarly, the Esmeraldas-Santo Domingo-Quito pipeline and the Esmeraldas terminal both were operational without any impact from the earthquake.

Meanwhile, the country's oil production has remained stable near the 470,000-BBL/d mark following the earthquake.

The government of the South American country expects investments of US$42 billion in its hydrocarbon sector to boost production between 2025 and 2029. Ecuador could tap into the Intracampos and offshore blocks to add up to 337,000 BBL/d of additional production.

However, the country could see its oil output drop starting in 2027, following the closure of the Ishpingo, Tambococha and Tiputini fields, known as the ITT block.

In August 2023, Ecuadorians voted to shut down the ITT block, one of the nation's largest oil-producing assets, to protect the Yasuni natural reserve, the Amazon rainforest, and Indigenous communities. Petroecuador, the block's operator, has highlighted that it will proceed with its closure, though the process is expected to take up to five years.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).