Earthquake Hits Venezuela's Energy Infrastructure: Largest Refinery Halts Production Due to Power Outage

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Two deadly earthquakes have impacted Venezuela’s energy system, with the country’s largest refinery forced to suspend operations due to a power outage, casting a shadow over the outlook for domestic fuel supply.

According to CCTV News, on the 28th local time, Jorge Rodríguez, Chairman of Venezuela’s National Assembly, announced that the death toll from the major earthquake on the 24th had risen to 1,450. Reuters reported that Venezuela’s largest refinery, Amuay, ceased operations on Sunday due to a power outage. The refinery is a core part of the Paraguana Refining Center, which has a daily processing capacity of 955,000 barrels, with Amuay itself designed for up to 645,000 barrels per day. After power was restored that evening, workers began restarting production units, especially the crude oil distillation unit.

Meanwhile, the medium-sized El Palito refinery with a daily capacity of 146,000 barrels, and the adjacent Moron Petrochemical Complex, were also unable to fully resume production due to continuing unstable electricity supply. Venezuela’s Ministry of Petroleum stated that the earthquake has not affected the country’s crude oil production or exports, but warned that if refineries and related facilities cannot maintain stable operations, once people return to normal life after the quake, domestic fuel and petrochemical product supplies may fail to meet demand.

The earthquake has caused at least 1,450 deaths, while Venezuela’s national industrial facilities, refineries, businesses, and residents all now face severe challenges in electricity supply.

The Course of the Power Outage Incident

According to media citing plant workers and local residents, Amuay refinery suffered a power outage on Sunday and was forced to halt production. This is the second refinery to be crippled by blackouts following two recent strong earthquakes.

Prior to the earthquake, Amuay’s actual daily crude oil processing stood at around 137,000 barrels, making it a key facility in ensuring Venezuela’s domestic fuel distribution. Some workers said power plants and industrial facilities in Falcon State in western Venezuela also face water shortages, further hindering normal operations. After electricity was restored, two sources confirmed that workers had begun orderly restarts of production lines.

Amuay’s halted production is not an isolated incident but epitomizes the systematic pressure Venezuela’s energy system faces post-quake. The El Palito refinery and Moron Petrochemical Complex are both in the central region and are similarly unable to resume full operations due to continued power instability.

Multiple sources remarked that the combined problems of unstable electricity and industrial water shortages are slowing recovery at these facilities. Venezuela’s energy infrastructure has long been fragile, and the quake’s impact has further exposed underlying issues with system resilience.

Crude Oil Exports Unaffected, Domestic Fuel Supply Faces Uncertainty

The Ministry of Petroleum made it clear that this earthquake has not affected Venezuela’s crude oil production or exports—export revenue being the backbone of Venezuela’s government finances. However, domestic fuel and petrochemical supply risks cannot be ignored.

The ministry warned that once society returns to order and the public resumes work, if refineries and supporting facilities cannot operate steadily, domestic supply shortfalls may become a real problem. This potential bottleneck is one of the most difficult challenges facing Venezuela’s economic recovery after the quake.

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