Operator Series: Repositioning Costa Rica’s state refiner Recope

Costa Rica’s state refiner Recope enjoys a privileged position in the country’s energy value chain, with a monopoly over the import and distribution of fuel.

Amid sustained sales growth, the operator has expanded its infrastructure, which includes a Caribbean marine terminal, a multipurpose pipeline, storage and dispatch depots, and pumping stations for combined storage capacity of 4.2Mb, with additional build-out on the horizon.

Despite calls to open the sector and even do away with Recope, President Carlos Alvarado has said there are no plans to end its monopoly and is pushing to widen the operator’s footprint to include green fuels as part of his administration’s   decarbonization plan.

This latest BNamericas Operator Series report is available here.