The inauguration of the new Talara refinery, held on December 29, 2023, was an event marked by excitement and hope, but internal documents reveal that the megaproject was never completely ready to operate, contradicting the claims of President Dina Boluarte and his then Minister of Energy and Mines, Óscar Vera, according to a report by Cuarto Poder.
During the ceremony, Boluarte proclaimed: “We can announce to Peru and the world that a new and modern refinery is launched in Talara and operates at full capacity.” However, the reality was very different. Just days before the inauguration, the refinery faced serious technical problems that led to the paralysis of its main unit, Flexicoking, first for 90 days and then indefinitely.
Carlos Paredes, former president of Petroperú, criticized the lack of transparency in the management of the refinery, stating that “they did not tell us the truth” about the situation of the project. According to technical reports to which Cuarto Poder had access, several units of the refinery were not ready to operate at the time of the inauguration, and some were just completing the start-up maneuvers.
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Problems began to arise in August 2023, when leaks and flow drops were detected at the Flexicoking unit, which is crucial for the conversion of heavy oil waste into refined products. Despite these inconveniences, the inauguration took place, which has raised questions about the responsibility of the officials involved.
César Gutiérrez, another former Petroperú manager, stressed that the lack of caution at the inauguration was a serious mistake, since it was decided to show the refinery in operation, even though it was known that there were technical problems. “If they had been cautious, they should have continued acting as marketers,” he said.
The report also reveals that, just days before the inauguration, additional problems were reported in the air flow to the gasifier and in the circulation of coke, which contradicts Petroperú’s official version, which maintains that the damage began in February 2024, two months after the inauguration.
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The Talara refinery, a project that cost more than US$6 billion, faces significant losses, estimated at close to a million dollars a day if the fuel is not refined. The situation has generated a climate of uncertainty and distrust among Peruvians, who demand greater transparency and responsibility from the authorities.
With the recent appointment of Óscar Vera as general manager of Petroperú, fears about the management of the state company have resurfaced. Vera, who was minister during the inauguration, now has the task of rescuing Petroperú from this crisis, while the population demands clear answers about the future of the refinery and its impact on the national economy.
The situation of the Talara refinery continues to be a hot topic in public debate, and citizens expect that effective measures will be taken to guarantee the transparency and correct operation of this important project.
