Plizio Visual Lab

San Roque Refinery

Plizio editorial teamUpdated: Jun 2026Data Sources

Industrial site

Weather…

The San Roque Refinery is located in Anzoátegui State and is Venezuela's smallest and most specialized refinery. Unlike the country's other plants, which primarily produce fuels, San Roque is almost exclusively focused on the production of paraffin and waxes. These products are utilized in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The facility was commissioned in the 1950s and uses specific types of crude oil from nearby fields that are rich in natural waxes. With a modest capacity of approximately 5,000 barrels per day, it fulfills a critical function in this industrial niche. Geographically, it is situated in the nation's eastern basin, inland from the coast, requiring truck-based logistics to connect with national industrial centers. Historically, San Roque represents the diversification of the Venezuelan petroleum industry beyond the traditional fuel sector. Despite its size, the refinery is of significant economic importance due to the high value-added nature of its specialty products.

Location: Venezuela
Top sights: Club los Chaguaramos · Concha Acustica María Teresa Chacín · Iglesia Virgen de Coromoto

Best time to visit & climate

The most pleasant time to visit is Jan–Mar.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg °C	27	28	29	30	29	28	27	27	28	28	27	27
Rain mm	30	16	16	23	57	107	125	110	80	75	67	60

📋 Practical info

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What is this place?

The San Roque Refinery in Anaco is a highly specialized facility, one of the few in the world dedicated to producing paraffin wax, and it is Venezuela's sole source of this product. It serves as a key employer and a landmark of the region's petrochemical industry.

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Visiting

As an active industrial facility, the refinery is generally not open to the public. However, an external view from the surrounding roads, especially the main highway approaching Anaco, provides a sense of its scale and typical industrial infrastructure.

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Where to view it

The best external viewpoint is the rural road east of Anaco that runs directly past the facility. From there, visitors get a broad view of the boiler houses, storage tanks, and pipelines that define the refinery's typical industrial landscape.

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Local products

Shops in Anaco and the surrounding area sell paraffin-based products such as candles, wax seals, and maintenance materials. Local markets occasionally offer handmade wax items that reflect the region's industrial heritage.

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Active season

The refinery operates continuously year-round in shifts, with production kept as steady as possible. Typically, scheduled maintenance and seasonal demand fluctuations for wax products are the only factors that occasionally affect activity levels.

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Nearby

A visit to the refinery can be combined with exploring the town of Anaco, which has a museum dedicated to the region's oil history. Additionally, heading out to the nearby Llanos plains has a chance to experience Venezuela's savanna landscape and wildlife.