 | This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(March 2023) |
| El Palito oil spill | |
|---|---|
 El Palito refinery, where the spill occurred | |
 Interactive map ofEl Palito oil spill | |
| Location | El Palito refinery,Carabobo state,Venezuela |
| Coordinates | 10°29′56″N68°07′44″W / 10.499°N 68.129°W /10.499; -68.129 |
| Date | July 2020 |
| Cause | |
| Operator | Petróleos de Venezuela |
TheEl Palito oil spill was anoil spill that occurred at the El Palito refinery,Venezuela, in July 2020.
The spill was estimated to be 25 thousandoil barrels into the Triste Gulf due to malfunctions in the cooler of theheat exchanger systems that useseawater to lower the pressure. In an attempt to double production from 20,000 to 40,000 daily oil barrels to 61,500 at thecatalytic cracking and 87,500 bpd at thedistillation tower, "multiple leaks" developed. The refinery had been unable to produce gasoline for several weeks. Experts argue that this was the tenth shutdown of the refinery in three months. The spill reached the eastern coast ofFalcón State andMorrocoy National Park.[1][2][3]
Another spill occurred in February 2021.[4]