Dos Bocas Refinery: the inauguration of an unfinished work
The president has described the construction of the new complex as “a dream come true”. Mexico has not had a new refinery since 1979. But the start-up is still half done: the work is not finished and the times for its implementation are still uncertain.
Prior to the inauguration, the president and energy secretary Rocío Nahle released dates in the air for the complex to start producing: late 2022 or early 2023They have said in their latest statements. “It is until next year, but we are going to meet that goal of being self-sufficient,” López Obrador said in a brief speech during a tour of the refinery.
1,065 days passed. The inauguration has taken place one day before the date set by the president since 2019, when the works began. With the ceremony, the president has fulfilled his political commitment, but deep down it has only signaled the first construction stage of the complex, as explained by his administration. After this, the integration and testing period will begin, which precede the production period.
The reason behind this has been the short time that the federal government allocated to its construction: three years that will be completed in a month. This term is well below international standards or the projections of the companies that were invited to bid to carry out the construction, but were later ruled out due to the prices and periods proposed. These last estimated a refinery built in six years.
With the refinery, the president hopes to give continuity to his energy policy. He says that with the entry into operation of the complex, oil exports and fuel imports will end. Until now, none of this is yet tangible: Pemex has increased its rate of foreign sales and gasoline imports in recent months.
“We ignored the song of the sirens, the voices of those who predicted, in good faith perhaps, the end of the oil era and the massive arrival of electric cars and renewable energies,” the president said this afternoon. in his speech.