Background on Olmeca Refinery and Pemex
Olmeca, located in the Mexican state of Tabasco, is the seventh refinery operated by Pemex, Mexico’s largest petroleum company. This new refinery, still working below its processing capacity of 340,000 barrels per day (bpd), has faced numerous challenges since its partial operation began in the second half of 2024, two years after its formal inauguration.
Location and Recent History
The Olmeca refinery is situated in Dos Bocas, Tabasco. Despite facing multiple setbacks, the refinery processed 263,402 bpd of crude in December 2024, marking the highest volume since its partial operation commenced.
Electrical Failure and Impact
On January 26, 2025, the Olmeca refinery halted operations due to an electrical failure, according to two internal reports seen by Reuters. This issue caused the plant to stop the coquizador, catalyst, and other hydrodesulfurization units in both processing trains.
At the time of the shutdown, 150,000 barrels of crude were being processed. Pemex only reported a “pressure variation” in the catalyst, causing visible smoke at the burner that led to a “safe stop” of the plant. However, they claimed that crude processing conditions were “under control.”
Previous Incidents and Current Status
Olmeca has experienced previous incidents, including a power cut in August of the prior year and another stoppage in April due to an issue in a cogeneration plant. Despite these challenges, the refinery has shown progress, processing more crude as operations continue.
According to a source, the refinery resumed its plant startup process on January 27. Pemex responded that they would consult the relevant department regarding the reports and whether the refinery had restarted its plant startup process.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Olmeca refinery? The Olmeca refinery, operated by Pemex, is located in Dos Bocas, Tabasco, and is the seventh refinery in Mexico. It began partial operations in 2024, aiming to process 340,000 bpd of crude.
- Why did the refinery halt operations? The Olmeca refinery stopped its operations on January 26, 2025, due to an electrical failure that affected critical units like the coquizador and catalyst.
- What was the extent of the processing during the incident? At the time of the electrical failure, 150,000 barrels of crude were being processed.
- What other incidents has the Olmeca refinery faced? Previous issues include a power cut in August of the prior year and another stoppage in April due to an incident in a cogeneration plant.
- Has the refinery resumed operations? According to a source, the Olmeca refinery restarted its plant startup process on January 27. Pemex has not yet confirmed this information.
