OREANDA-NEWS. August 1, 2012. As part of the Special Production Plan for Joint Ventures, PDVSA Petromonagas, which is attached to the Executive Directorate of the Orinoco Oil Belt in the Carabobo Division, exceeded the production target of 130,000 barrels per day (kbpd) of extra heavy crude oil. This exploit was made possible thanks to the teamwork of the revolutionary and patriotic men and women carried out in the Operating Center located south of Venezuela’s northeastern state of Anzoategui.

This operational challenge was overcome by the activation of 18 new wells drilled in the fields of Macolla “July 28” and Macolla 10, which have increased production by 22 kbpd, and due to works to upgrade surface infrastructure in the facilities of the Petromonagas Operations Center.

According to the 2012 Oil Production Plan set up by PDVSA Petromonagas, the annualized goal set in the first half of the year was 114 kbpd but the joint venture achieved 123.4 kbpd, with a positive variation of 9.4 kbpd. Oil production reached 131.8 kbpd in June 2012.

This Venezuelan joint venture went ahead with its plans of sustained growth towards its goal of 145 kbpd in December with the tireless support of all its staff members working for the development of the Orinoco Oil Belt, the main world’s oil reserve.

Upgrading of the plant

In order to manage oil according to the specifications of Venezuelan crude oil production, an upgrading of the plant has been carried out together with plant maintenance works.

These activities included a major maintenance overhaul of several units such as 4 electrostatic desalters in the 1 and 2 trains. The four main pumps were replaced with state-of-the-art technology in order to handle multiphase flow and a higher volume of associated gas. Workers of the company have also replaced pumps and are now using pumps with a new specification to handle a larger volume of diluent with a wide range of API gravity.

The plan also included the setting up of a small oil processing plant called ETS, with a processing capacity of up to 12 kbpd of extra heavy crude.

With these actions, PDVSA Petromonagas continues the consolidation of projects to benefit the Venezuelan people, in order to enable a full oil sovereignty aimed at building a homeland.