WILLEMSTAD - Despite the fact that the contract between Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PdVSA) and Refineria di Kòrsou (RDK) has been terminated, PdVSA will pay to remain on the site of the Isla refinery for some time.

The reason is that PdVSA through Refineria Isla B.V. still has stored products in different tanks, both at the refinery site and at Bullen Bay. Refineria di Korsou (RdK), the plant owner, says that PdVSA can have the product stock and sell it on the international market.

The Klesch Group

At the last moment, RdK concluded a deal with The Klesch Group last year as the new operator of the refinery and the transshipment at Bullen Bay. The Klesch Group will take over everything in a few months. PdVSA wanted a year to transfer the refinery, but no agreement has been reached on this and PdVSA should leave immediately.

As long as the PdVSA is staying at the refinery installations, the use of the tanks must be paid for. "We will lease the tanks to them," says Marcelino De Lannoy, interim director of the RdK. De Lannoy is counting on the Venezuelan company to earn enough from the sale of products to pay for the redundancy arrangement of around 900 employees, who are working for the Refineria Isla B.V.

The deal caused unrest among employees. They want a guarantee that Klesch will take over the current staff. The employees have been called to sign up for RdK, which will keep the Isla running for six months. Almost all employees have registered.