Oil spill at Ciudad Ojeda overshadows normalization of oil exports to USA

www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 By: David Coleman

Approximately one thousand barrels of oil have been spilled at Ciudad Ojeda on the east coast of Lake Maracaibo after a pipeline fractured ... the area was immediately cordoned-off by the National Guard (GN) as environmental workers rushed to deal with the emergency.

Health & Safety Executive coordinator Carlos Rivero says the pipeline was ruptured after a heavy-duty vehicle ran off the road.  Emergency procedures were immediately put in place to contain the spill and to prevent it spreading as trucks began the mop-up process.

In separate news: the PDV Marina tanker Caura has begun loading 185,000 barrels of gasoil products at the CRP Paraguana Refinery in the first of thirteen cargoes destined for export to the United States for the automotive lubricant market.

CRP executive Ivan Hernandez says that with recent deliveries to San Eustaquio, PDV Marina has confirmed the reactivation of its tanker fleet ... "the industry is well on its way to full normalization after the national stoppage."