The 146,000-barrel-per-day El Palito refinery, located in central Venezuela, has gradually brought its operational units back online after the earthquakes disrupted electricity supplies and temporarily halted normal processing.

One refinery worker said the fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) had resumed operations after several restart attempts and was currently processing about 35,000 barrels per day as operators worked to increase output.

The FCC is one of the refinery’s most important units because it converts heavier petroleum products into higher-value fuels, including gasoline, making its return a significant step toward restoring domestic fuel production.

Venezuela’s Oil Ministry said over the weekend that fuel supplies remained guaranteed across the country, particularly in regions affected by the earthquakes, including the coastal state of La Guaira.

The ministry did not disclose production or distribution volumes. However, gasoline queues at service stations have remained relatively short, suggesting fuel distribution has continued without major disruptions.

The twin earthquakes did not inflict significant damage on Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, allowing crude oil production and exports to continue uninterrupted, according to the report.

Public utilities have been affected more severely than the energy sector, with electricity and water services remaining the areas hardest hit following the earthquakes.

El Palito is one of Venezuela’s key refining facilities and plays an important role in supplying transportation fuels to the domestic market as the country continues efforts to stabilize operations across its energy sector after the recent natural disasters.