Giant Explosion at Venezuela's Largest Oil Refinery

Arutz Sheva ^ | 25/8/12 | Chana Yaar

[Eleutheria5]

Venezuela's largest oil refinery went up in flames Saturday, leaving 26 dead and some 80 people wounded, officials said.

Among the dead was a 10-year-old boy and 17 members of the National Guard, who are stationed at a post at the Amuay complex.

The refinery is one of the biggest in the world, producing 645,000 barrels of oil per day.

Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez, president of the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela oil company that runs the refinery complex said the blast occurred at 1:15 a.m. At least two storage tanks were ignited, and other facilities at the refinery were damaged as well. A number of homes opposite the complex were also damaged.

Ramirez, who appeared on national television, said the explosion was caused by a gas leak and was an accident. President Hugo Chavez, who called it “sad and painful,” declared a 3-day national mourning period.

The Amuay oil refinery is located in Punto Fijo in Falcon State, in the Peninsula of Paraguana. The conflagration is the OPEC nation's worst industrial accident in recent memory.

Venezuela is South America's largest oil producer – but it also has a strong connection with Iran, a fellow member of OPEC, as well.

In May of this year, the National Iranian Oil Company and Petroleos de Venezuela signed a $2 billion contract to develop the dobokubi oil field in Venezuela's Orinoco Oil Belt together. .....

[TEXOKIE]

bfl

[PapaBear3625]

Wyatt's torch. I Predicted this 18 months ago on this board. Or it could be an accident.

I suspect that, for the last several years, Chavez supporters have been getting hiring preferences without regard for competence. It was just a matter of time before the net level of incompetence rose to critical mass.

It's just what happens in socialist economies -- the friends and relatives of the political class infest everything eventually. The leadership has no choice, since they NEED their supporters, and the supporters demand cushy jobs as a condition of support.

[VeniVidiVici]

Among the dead was a 10-year-old boy and 17 members of the National Guard, who are stationed at a post at the Amuay complex.

I think I know what caused it.

[catnipman]

“It’s Hugo’s fault for seizing this refinery in 1976 from the Creole Petroleum Corp owned by Americans originally, it was acquired by Standard Oil of New jersey.

Without direct access to American technology the Venezuelan commies aren’t capable of putting a cork in a bung hole.

They’ll be blowing everything else up over the next few months. “

Yep, “wreckers”. :):):)

[mountn man]

Among the dead was a 10-year-old boy and 17 members of the National Guard, who are stationed at a post at the Amuay complex.

Why was a 10 year old boy stationed at the post???

[Pikachu_Dad]

Indeed.

And the 17 National Guardsmen.

No ‘oridinary’ workers appear to have been at the plant.

[Chickensoup]

Look for $6 gas within a week.

_______________________________

IIRC that is where Hussian wanted gas prices to go in the US.