2 years into operations, Olmeca Refinery reports its best month yet

In July, the Olmeca Refinery in Tabasco state achieved its highest monthly fuel production ever, according to Pemex data. The refinery, inaugurated in July 2022 by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, processed an average of 252,498 barrels of fuel daily in July. This marked a 78.8% increase compared to June and a 62.4% rise year-over-year. The rise in production came after equipment restoration and upgrades between April and June.

The surge in July production was primarily due to premium and regular gasoline, which saw a 127.9% month-over-month increase and an 89.5% annual gain, reaching an average of 108,548 barrels per day. Other fuel types, including diesel, also contributed to the increase. This was the third time the refinery had produced over 200,000 barrels per day in a single month.

The Olmeca Refinery, one of Pemex's seven Mexican refineries, contributed 21.2% of Pemex's total fuel production in July, which amounted to 1.19 million barrels. The Salina Cruz Refinery processed the most fuel that month, followed by Olmeca. In July, the refinery processed an average of 229,000 barrels of heavy Maya crude, a 62.2% increase month-over-month and a 53.9% increase year-over-year. This was the only month when the Olmeca Refinery processed more Maya crude than in December.

Before July, the Olmeca Refinery experienced a decline in processing volumes for six consecutive months. The refinery can process up to 340,000 barrels per day at full capacity, with July's production representing 67.3% of that capacity.