Fire Explosion Reported at PEMEX Refinery in Salina Cruz

On Thursday, the Antonio Dovalí Jaime refinery, located in the port of Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, reported a fire. Although the NOC launched emergency response protocols, concerns linger regarding the company’s safety standards. 

The incident originated in the U-100 heater at the Hydrodesulfurization II plant, which is known for producing gasoline and jet fuel. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. The company has reaffirmed its commitment to safety, ensuring the protection of its facilities and the well-being of its workers. It also reassured surrounding communities, urging them to remain calm as they assert that the situation is under control. "The safety of our facilities, workers and the surrounding communities is our top priority,” stated the company. 

PEMEX has recognized notable setbacks in the construction progress of the Salina Cruz oil refinery. Currently, the completion status stands at 10%, resulting in a considerable delay that extends the estimated completion date to 2025.

Prior to the recent explosion in Salina Cruz, PEMEX had already experienced several incidents. The year began with fires erupting at its Lázaro Cárdenas refinery in Minatitlan, Veracruz, as well as the Tuzadepetl fuel storage hub in Veracruz, which resulted in casualties.

“Safety at work continues to be a red flag for PEMEX’s operations. The index that measures the number of disabling accidents per million worker hours of exposure to risk worsened significantly, rising from 0.44 to 0.49 between 3Q21 and 3Q22. [In other words] this data represents a serious setback in terms of industrial and labor safety. This must be object of immediate attention from the PEMEX administration,” said Fluvio Ruíz, Mexico Senate Advisor.