WILLEMSTAD – The public company Curaçao Refinery (RdK) was in constant contact with the company that was chosen as the preferred bidder in the process of finding a new operator for the refinery after the current contract with PDVSA expires at the end of 2019. RdK received the notification that the preferred bidder, the Houston based Motiva Enterprises, after an evaluation, will not continue the process of negotiations to become the new operator of the refinery.

Previously the preferred bidder did show interest to work with the refinery, once there was clarity on the operations and management of the company after the current contract has expired. The reason the company gave for its decision is that during the period in which they had to wait for the internal investigation in RdK, the company has done an internal reevaluation and has made some adjustments to what its priorities for the future should be. Based on a combination of factors, including the delay caused by the RdK investigation and the new opportunities, the company has decided not to continue with this project in Curaçao. This is contrary to what the company indicated at the end of last year when it was ready to sign an MoU and start negotiations with RdK.

Once RdK took note of this decision, it immediately started with the necessary steps to continue the process of finding a new operator for the refinery. RdK will continue with the other candidates that were also chosen as potential strategic partners for the refinery.

The team assigned to find a strategic partner is already working with international experts to continue this process. The team will consider the interest expressed by the Venezuelan company PDVSA to operate and manage the refinery.