PDVSA confirms another sabotage attempt on the Paraguana refinery

www.vheadline.com Posted: Monday, March 03, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Petroleos de Venezuela-West (PDVSA-Occidente) general manager, Felix Rodriguez reports that there was a sabotage attempt on the Ule-Amuay pipeline last Friday night.

Calling the incident an act of terrorism, Rodriguez says 6 valves in four pipe-flow sub-stations were shut off and obstructed to prevent them from being opened … “it could have caused a serious explosion and would have cut off supplies to the Paraguana Refinery.”

According to the general manager, the plot was discovered after the company’s air vigilance service spotted and reported that substation gates have been forced open. "A similar action took place at La Salina yard’s 22nd tank where valves were closed to cause a spill."