President Sheinbaum Highlights Dos Bocas and Deer Park Refineries Amid Global Oil Shortages

Mexico City — President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized the critical importance of Mexico’s Dos Bocas and Deer Park refineries on Monday, stating they are essential as global oil prices rise and shortages affect Asian countries.

Speaking during her morning press conference from the National Palace, Sheinbaum defended the refineries against past criticism, saying they have proven valuable during current market instability.

“Look at everything they said about the Dos Bocas refinery — that it wasn’t necessary, that it was absurd, that oil refining was a thing of the past, that it represented the biggest losses for Pemex,” Sheinbaum said. “Thanks to the purchase of the Deer Park refinery and Dos Bocas and the modernization of the National Refining System, we continue working.”

The president added that work continues at other refineries, particularly in Salina Cruz and Tula.

“Yesterday we were at the Salina Cruz refinery. It has been very important, especially at this moment when the problem isn’t just the price of oil that has risen, but the possible shortage in Asian countries,” Sheinbaum said. “Globally they’re experiencing problems because they don’t have fuel because passage through the strait has issues.”

She noted that current global problems stem from most oil still coming from Middle Eastern Arab countries, Iran, and that region. Contrary to what happens in other nations, Pemex has been making money from this situation.

“So, Mexico produces oil, refines its oil at 80, 70 percent — there’s 20 percent that’s still imported gasoline, but we’ll continue advancing to reduce it to the maximum,” Sheinbaum said. “And that’s thanks to the vision of retaking the refineries. Pemex hasn’t just not lost money, but has gained in this entire process for its profitability thanks to the sale of gasoline, not just from oil exports as before and gasoline imports.”

According to the most recent data from Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), the Dos Bocas refinery in Tabasco processed 263,402 barrels of oil daily during December 2025, equivalent to 77 percent of its maximum processing capacity of 340,000 barrels daily. The complex reached its highest processing level last month but still isn’t operating at full capacity.