La Jornada: Refining rose 21.9% during the first quarter

Crude oil refining by Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) averaged 1,141,000 barrels per day in the first quarter, an increase of 21.9 percent compared to the same period in 2025, which also allowed fuel imports to be reduced, the company reported yesterday.

These results were due to an increase in production of 164 thousand barrels per day at the Olmeca Refinery and the addition of 39 thousand barrels per day.

“This performance reflects a sustained trajectory of recovery of the National Refining System, with five consecutive quarters of growth and the highest quarterly volume recorded in 11 years,” said Pemex.

Oil production averaged one million 110 thousand barrels per day in the aforementioned period, an increase of 21.9 percent compared to the same quarter of 2025.

The production of high-value distillates (gasoline, diesel and jet fuel) represented 65.7 percent of total production and increased from 511 thousand to 729 thousand barrels per day (42.5 percent more).

“The above allowed us to increase the supply of fuel in the national market, contributing to the growth of domestic sales by 4.2 percent; likewise, dependence on fuel imports was reduced by 23.3 percent.”

Pemex indicated that gasoline production averaged 390 thousand barrels per day in the first quarter, an increase of 29.6 percent compared to the same period last year. Diesel production stood at 286 thousand barrels per day, an increase of 69.9 percent compared to the same quarter of 2025.

On the other hand, fuel oil production decreased 33.1 percent, from an average of 240 thousand barrels per day in the first three months of 2025 to 161 thousand barrels per day in the same period of 2026. “This reflects better use of processed crude oil and optimization in the production of higher-value distillates,” he noted.