Bahia Blanca refinery

Also known as: 

Dr. Ricardo Elicabe Refinery


The Bahia Blanca refinery is a small, medium-complexity refinery on the west coast of Argentina which processes mostly crude from the Neuquen basin. It is colocated with a petrochemicals plant.

The refinery is 100% owned by Trafigura.

Refinery configuration

Complexity: 7.5

Major process units

Atmospheric distillation: 31 kbpd

Vacuum distillation - 12.6 kbpd

Visbreaking - 3.8 kbpd

FCC - 7.9 kbpd

Reformer (SR) - 6 kbpd

Naphtha hydrotreater - 9.5 kbpd

Distillate hydrotreater - 8 kbpd

C5/C6 Isomerization - 3 kbpd

Asphalt plant - 1.7 kbpd


Location

Av. Colón 3032, Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Website

Refinery history

1997 - completed a major expansion

2016 - Acquired by Pampa Energy from Petrobras

2018 - Acquired by Trafigura from Pampa Energy

2024 - Trafigura plans to add a $100 million oil export terminal at the refinery