By Jessymar Añez.
A large fire in the Morichal field, south of Monagas, had been active for more than 24 hours as of 4:00 pm on Monday, April 27, the executive director of the Venezuela Oil Workers Federation, Eudis Girot, told El Pitazo.
The incident began in a pit where industrial sewage is stored, located between the Comor plant belonging to the Carabobo Division of Petroleos de Venezuela and Sinovensa, a joint venture between PDVSA and the China National Petroleum Corporation.
On the afternoon of April 27, Girot said that with this fire, the oil production at the field falls from 65,000 barrels to 11,000 barrels per day.
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Girot told El Pitazo that the lack of equipment prevents firemen from controlling the flames that started on Sunday, April 26. He also said that oil distribution, pumping, and reception lines were broken as a result of the incident, which he attributed to sparks from welding work igniting the contents of the pit.
“A welding company was carrying out work without supervision or control, or protective equipment, without permission, the mountain around it was high due to lack of maintenance, caught a welding spark and the misfortune happened,” he texts through Whatsapp to El Pitazo.
The union chief said that the electric towers near the oil facilities were also affected, so there is no electricity service in the area. At 11:40 a.m. there was still fire towards the Sinovensa plant.
