Experts question Guanajuato fuel seizure
Luces del Siglo reports that energy specialists questioned the operation and public account of a seizure of more than 59 million liters of suspected illicit fuel at a Grupo SIMSA terminal. The FGR provided a breakdown of the fuel and said vehicles and records were also seized.
Experts have questioned the Mexican authorities’ handling of a seizure of more than 59 million liters of suspected illicit fuel at Grupo SIMSA’s storage terminal in San José de Iturbide, Guanajuato. According to Luces del Siglo, energy specialists said the operation and the government’s public explanation contained conceptual, operational and communication problems, including the omission that the plant had already reopened.
Gonzalo Monroy, director of energy consultancy GMEC, said fuel arriving at the terminal can be traced to the refinery or import point and argued that any discrepancies should be investigated at the border rather than at the storage facility. He said SIMSA possesses, but does not own, the fuel stored there; the source identified Pemex, ExxonMobil, Ferromex and Kansas City as SIMSA customers. Industry sources told Grupo REFORMA that Marathon Petroleum also uses the terminal.
Luces del Siglo reported that the facility, one of the Bajío region’s major distribution plants, has capacity for 630,000 barrels, or about 100 million liters. Industry representatives said it closed Sept. 4 and reopened a week later, while the official announcement came Sept. 17. The FGR said the seizure totaled 33.5 million liters of regular gasoline, 7.3 million liters of Premium gasoline and 18.3 million liters of diesel. It also reported the seizure of vehicles, accounting documents and invoices.