Engineering Solutions and Technological Innovation at CVP

Corporación Venezolana del Petróleo, S.A. (CVP) integrates advanced engineering disciplines with large-scale industrial management to unlock the potential of the world’s largest hydrocarbon reserves. Our engineering strategy focuses on three pillars: Optimization, Transformation, and Sustainability.

Extra-Heavy Crude Upgrading Technologies

Managing the Orinoco Oil Belt requires unique engineering solutions to handle high-viscosity crude. CVP oversees the operation of sophisticated Upgrader Complexes that utilize:
  • Delayed Coking & Hydrocracking: Advanced thermal and catalytic processes to convert extra-heavy crude (8° API) into high-value synthetic light oils.
  • Diluent Management Systems: Engineering optimized pipeline networks for the injection and recovery of naphtha and light crudes used to transport heavy oil from the wellhead to processing hubs.

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) & Reservoir Engineering

To maximize the lifecycle of mature fields and increase the recovery factor in the Orinoco Belt, CVP employs cutting-edge subsurface engineering:
  • Horizontal & Multilateral Drilling: Utilizing advanced geosteering to maximize contact with the reservoir and increase flow rates.
  • Thermal Recovery Solutions: Implementing Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) and cyclic steam injection to reduce oil viscosity in situ.
  • Artificial Lift Optimization: Designing and maintaining high-capacity Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP) and Progressive Cavity Pumps (PCP) tailored for heavy-fluid environments.

Offshore & Subsea Engineering

As CVP expands into the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic shelf, our engineering focus shifts to offshore expertise:
  • Subsea Production Systems: Implementation of subsea manifolds and flowlines for deep-water gas extraction.
  • Fixed and Floating Platforms: Structural engineering and maintenance of offshore platforms designed for high-pressure gas processing and stabilization.

Integrated Infrastructure & Automation

Our engineering solutions extend to the vast logistical network that supports national production:
  • SCADA & Digital Oilfield: Integrating Real-Time Monitoring (RTM) systems to automate wellhead control and optimize pipeline throughput.
  • Terminal & Port Engineering: Managing the structural integrity and flow dynamics of major export hubs, such as the Jose Terminal, ensuring safe and efficient VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) loading operations.

Environmental & Process Safety Engineering

CVP prioritizes the “Safety First” principle through rigorous technical standards:
  • Water Treatment & Re-injection: Engineering closed-loop systems to treat produced water and re-inject it for pressure maintenance, minimizing environmental impact.
  • Gas Flaring Reduction: Implementing gas capture and compression technologies to utilize associated gas for power generation or domestic supply.