US$28.1M revamp boosts oil refinery output by 26%

Santo Domingo.- PresidentDanilo Medina cut the ribbon Friday morning for the revamping of Dominican Republic´sonly oil refinery, at a cost of US$28.1 million, the biggest investment sinceit opened in 1973.

Refinery presidentFelix Jimenez said the work would boostits refining capacity by 26%, from27,000 to 34,000 barrels per day.

He said the remodeling whichlasted 142 days included replacing 40% of its oil refining machinery. He said the plant shutdown entailed 687,005 workinghours without a single accident.

Jimenez said in the workparticipated 25 local companies and eight from abroad, selected throughtenders, adding that 463 Dominican technicians and 61 foreigners worked in theproject.