In July 2022, the former president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, inaugurated the Dos Bocas refinery in Tabasco, calling it a dream come true. At that time, he announced the start of tests for its full operation, mentioning that the refinery, also known as 'Olmeca', had been built in record time.
The total investment in the Dos Bocas refinery was 16 billion 816 million dollars, with a capacity of 340 thousand barrels per day and a projected production of 304 thousand barrels per day of gasoline and diesel. More than 44 thousand direct jobs and over 286 thousand indirect jobs were generated, with the participation of more than 160 contracting companies, a national content of 73%, and almost 100% local labor.
In 2019, the Secretary of Energy, Rocío Nahle, presented a plan to accelerate the construction of the refinery, an emblematic project of López Obrador's government. The initially estimated cost of 8 billion dollars has exceeded 20 billion dollars today, becoming one of the most expensive projects of the administration.
Setbacks, from fires to internal disputes and environmental concerns, have delayed the completion of the Dos Bocas refinery. Despite its inauguration in 2022, the plant has not started producing fuel, and challenges have continued during the testing phase.
Bernardo Del Castillo of Soteria Consulting pointed out that design problems and the omission of certain stages have affected the operation of Dos Bocas. Obsolete technology and designs inherited from another project have created technical difficulties in the refining process, contributing to the ongoing setbacks.
From electrical issues to the lack of key infrastructure, such as a gas pipeline, the Dos Bocas refinery faces numerous challenges to achieve the promised energy independence. The age of the technology used may result in complete plant outages, according to experts, suggesting that problems may persist in the near future.
