[104-10215-10128.pdf — page 14]
# INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORTCENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCYThis material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, T.lie 18. U.S.C. Secs. 193 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-LCOUNTRY CubaREPORT NO 00-B-3,164,609SUBJECT Operations of Refineries/Effect of Use DATE DISTR. 23 Aug 60of Soviet Crude Oil/Jet Fuel ProductionNO. PAGES TwoREFERENCESDATE OF INFO. Aug 60 and earlierPLACE & DATE ACQ. Havana/Aug 60: and earlierTHIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATIONSOURCE: US national, graduate engineer, an official on the staff of a large oil company.Source has had years of experience in company operations outside the US and has been located in Cuba for many years. [Source is normally avail- able for reinterrogation should this report generate additional requirements.]1. As of Aug 60 the three major refineries confiscated by the Castro rogime are operating in fairly good shape. Their principal problem is that the Soviet crude being supplied is very light and they cannot run as mich volums because gas pressure builds up. The Esso refinery, for example, has a capacity of 36 thousand bbls per day on heavy crude, but 26 thousand bbis per day is the best they have besa abie to do on the Soviet crude, and it has been running at a rate of only 20 thousand bbis per day since 20 Jul 60.2. The Soviet crude available to date has been compatible with the refineries and will not damage them, but in addition to not being able to get as much volume, the rafineries cannot get as much fuel oil because of light ends. This is trus of all three major refineries.3. The refinerets were designed for 26 gravity crude which is fairly heavy. The Soviet crude is 33 gravity, and has caused an imbalance in that they are now producing more gasoline than is needed. As a consequence, Cuba is searching desperately for fuel oil. The USSR has said that it is not in a position to supply fuel oil and so Cuba has turned toward Mexico, even to the extent of attempting to arrange deals whereby they will trade gasoline for fuel oil.4. The inbalance of gasoline is indicated by the fact that the Cabaiguan refinary was shut dowa recently because its gasoline storage was completely filled.5. Cuba will reach a critical point about 1 Sep 60. The Esso refinery slowed down from 26 thousand bble per day to 20 thousand bble per day because it had only a 10-day supply of crude. The supply on hand was sufficient to last only until 14 Ang, but around 11 Aug the refinery was supposed to receive a shipment of 80 thousand barrels of crude. However, this is only enough to operate four days.C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L 19 SEP 1960STATE ARMY NAVY AIR FB1 AECINFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORTNOFORN NO DISSEM ABROADLIMITED: Dissemination limited to full-time employees of CIA, AEC and FBI: and, within State and Defense, to the intelligence components, other ollices producing NIS slements, and higher echions with their immediate supporting staffs. Not to be disseminated to consultants, external projects of reserve personnel on short term active duty (excepting individuals who are normally full-time employees of CIA, AEC, FBI, State or Defense) unless the written permission of the originating office has been obtained through the Assistant Director for Contral Reference, CIA.