North American Blue Energy Partners restarts key furnace at Venezuela facility
North American Blue Energy Partners has restored a long-idle furnace at its Zuata 2 facility, projecting a production increase of up to 10,000 barrels of oil per day.
North American Blue Energy Partners (NABEP) has brought a critical furnace back online at its Zuata 2 facility in Venezuela’s Orinoco Belt. The unit had been idle for five years and is essential for heating heavy crude to extract water and meet commercial quality standards.
The restart, completed on October 31 following extensive technical repairs and mechanical testing, is expected to add between 8,000 and 10,000 barrels of oil per day to the facility's output. The processing line at Zuata 2 maintains a capacity of approximately 210,000 barrels daily.
CEO Alejandro Betancourt noted that the project is part of a broader push to revitalize infrastructure in the region. NABEP reported production levels exceeding 223,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day as of mid-October, supported by an agreement to export crude to the United States. The company aims to reach 500,000 barrels per day by the end of 2028.