674. Paper prepared by the CIA, May 61

[Facsimile Page 1]

CUBAN SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF CRUDE OIL AND REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

1. Cuba’s total supply of petroleum, crude and refined, for FY 63 was a total of 93,000 barrels per day (bpd). This was supplied by the Soviet Bloc, principally the Soviet Union.

A. The above 93,000 (bpd) breaks down to a daily average of 77,000 (bpd) of crude which when refined by the three Cuban refineries (formerly Esso, Shell and Texaco) produced 70,000 bpd finished products, which at USSR crude conversion rates produces 28% gasoline, 27% gas oil and kerosene, and 43% fuel oil, or 19,000 bpd gasoline (about 58 octane), 18,900 bpd gas oil and kerosene, and 31,500 bpd fuel oil.

B. The remaining 17,000 bpd are of refined products. The May 1963 planned delivery is a good example of an average month:

Delivery—May 1963 Tons
A [illegible in the original] High Octane Auto gas 10,000
A 93 premium Octane Auto gas 11,000
[illegible in the original] Jet fuel 3,500
[illegible in the original] Aviation oil 1,300
Vapor (industrial oil) 1,200
Machine oil (slow machinery) 3,000
Spindle oil 1,200
Kerosene and gas oil 19,000
Fuel oil 33,200
TONS FOR MAY 83,400
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2. The consumption of petroleum products in Cuba in 1959 (the last year of U.S. corporation records) was between 50,000 and 60,000 bpd. Why Cuba is now consuming 86,000 bpd of finished and refined petroleum products is a confusing question both to those working on Cuba petroleum consumption statistics and also to the U.S. petroleum industry.

3. Despite the increase in Cuba’s supply of petroleum products over 1959 consumption, our effort to account for the increased con[Typeset Page 1729]sumption or locate new storage areas has been unsuccessful. Aerial photographs disclose only slight increase in above ground storage facilities since 1959. The largest expansion is three new crude storage tanks at the Texaco refinery in Santiago consisting of about 60,000 barrels each and four crude storage tanks at the Esso refinery in Havana of also about 60,000 barrels each.

4. Present storage facilities in Cuba, using a consumption rate of 80,000 bpd, would store a sufficient quantity to supply: (a) gasoline for at least six months; (b) fuel oil for at least six months; and (c) gas oil and kerosene for at least six months.

5. The only petroleum products the Bloc probably cannot supply Cuba, without reducing their own needs, are [illegible in the original] and additives for lubricating oil. These Cuba has been trying desperately to obtain from the West.

  1. “Cuban Supply and Demand of Crude Oil and Refined Petroleum Products.” Secret. 2 pp. Kennedy Library, NSF, Meetings and Memoranda Series, Standing Group Meeting, 5/28/63.