Venezuela Says Petrochemical Plant to Be Closed for Two Weeks

By Peter Wilson

Caracas, April 28 (<a href=quote.bloomberg.com>Bloomberg) -- Super Octanos SA, one of Venezuela's largest petrochemical companies, will stop production for about two weeks after an explosion and fire Friday killed one worker and injured three others.

A Petroleos de Venezuela SA spokesman said the plant suffered minor damage, mostly to instrument panels. He didn't say how much the losses totaled. An investigation is continuing.

Super Octanos produces methyl tertiary butyl ether, a gasoline additive used to boost octane and add oxygen to make fuel burn cleaner. The company is a joint venture among Venezuela's state petrochemical company Pequiven SA, Italy's Ecofuel and Venezuela's Mercantil Servicios Financieros.

The plant, in the eastern state of Anzoategui, has the capacity to produce 600,000 metric tons a year. Last Updated: April 28, 2003 12:33 EDT