Repsol has announced a significant increase in the production of aviation kerosene from its petrochemical hub in Tarragona with the aim of shielding the tourist season in the face of the current crisis in global supply.
The company's chief executive officer, Josu Jon Imaz, detailed this strategy during the analysts' conference following the presentation of the first quarter 2026 results.
"Starting in May, we will be prepared to increase the production of aviation kerosene by up to 25% over the level we had in February"
- Josu Jon Imaz, CEO of Repsol
Imaz has assured that the company will reach a record figure by being able to produce 95,000 barrels of kerosene daily thanks to the available refining system.
The production center located in the Tarragona petrochemical complex has strategic importance as it generates 40% of the aviation kerosene manufactured by the company throughout the national territory.
Crisis over the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
The measure responds to the disruption in supply chains caused by the war conflict in Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has interrupted supplies from the Persian Gulf.
This situation has been threatening the activity of the tourist season in Catalonia for weeks, with a special impact on the operation of airports such as Reus due to the direct link with the arrival of international flights.
"This means that we will not only be able to offer our clients, but even more so, we will be able to offer additional production in the face of any problem or interruption that may arise in the Spanish market from other operators"
- Josu Jon Imaz, CEO of Repsol
Strikes postponed and full operational capacity
To achieve these objectives, Repsol has set the productive machinery in motion at an unprecedented pace and has decided to postpone all scheduled refinery shutdowns in order to maintain maximum production capacity.
The executive has explained that the system is working at full capacity and that they have invested two months modifying the logistics to achieve this historic increase.
"Our refining system is operating at full capacity, we are trying to distill better, and the last barrel gave us a positive margin seeking full conversion coverage"
- Josu Jon Imaz, CEO of Repsol
Imaz has underlined that the decision transcends the strictly financial sphere and is based on the company's responsibility as a key operator to guarantee supply in its area of influence.
"We are going to operate because now it is not just about a financial approach. I believe that now we have the responsibility, as a responsible operator, to ensure that we can supply the products that our hinterland and our customers need"
- Josu Jon Imaz, CEO of Repsol
Repsol's leadership has highlighted that Spain's greater refining capacity compared to other member states of the European Union constitutes a fundamental asset for alleviating these market tensions.
The executive has emphasized the economic relevance of fuel for the summer, when the national economy critically depends on aviation and tourism.
"The production of kerosene is very important for the Spanish economy, because mainly in summer it depends a lot on aviation and the tourist season"
- Josu Jon Imaz, CEO of Repsol
After the investment in logistical reconfiguration, the company confirms that it has managed to reverse the trend and secure the necessary supply to cover the summer demand without depending exclusively on external imports affected by the war.