It’s going to be called the Supreme Dream of Bolivar Refinery. The ceremonial first stone was set in place in July by Daniel Ortega and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who has promised to finance the construction. It is located near Puerto Sandino on the Pacific Coast, close to the tank farm used to store oil offloaded from tankers for processing in the ESSO refinery in Managua. Besides having a greater capacity than that refinery, the Supreme Dream will be able to work with the extra heavy crude with high sulfur content that Venezuela produces, rather than relying on sweet light crude.

The project, which will take several years to complete, is heralded as a major part of the solution to Nicaragua’s energy crisis since it means the country would no longer have to import gasoline or diesel. It will, however, still have to import crude and details of the deal for supply from Venezuela are sketchy. Chávez isn’t giving it away.
Ground broken for refinery
It’s going to be called the Supreme Dream of Bolivar Refinery. The ceremonial first stone was set in place in July by Daniel Ortega and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who has promised to finance the construction. It is located near Puerto Sandino on the Pacific Coast, close to the tank farm used to store oil offloaded from tankers for processing in the ESSO refinery in Managua. Besides having a greater capacity than that refinery, the Supreme Dream will be able to work with the extra heavy crude with high sulfur content that Venezuela produces, rather than relying on sweet light crude.

The project, which will take several years to complete, is heralded as a major part of the solution to Nicaragua’s energy crisis since it means the country would no longer have to import gasoline or diesel. It will, however, still have to import crude and details of the deal for supply from Venezuela are sketchy. Chávez isn’t giving it away.