Cabimas, Zulia, Venezuela

🇻🇪 Cabimas is a city on the shore of Maracaibo Lake in Zulia State in north-western Venezuela.

Before 1900, Venezuela was known to possess commercial quantities of petroleum. One major find was the 'Zumaque 1' well in 1914, in the area of Mene Grande, about 50 miles (80 km) south-east of Cabimas. It was the blowout of the Barroso No. 2 well in Cabimas in 1922 that marked the beginning of Venezuela's modern history as a major producer.

Cabimas still plays an important role in production from the nation's largest oil fields, which are located around and beneath Lake Maracaibo. Other fields are increasing in importance, mainly in eastern Venezuela. Most refining in Venezuela takes place in refineries outside the Cabimas area.

Economy The main activity is the oil industry, since the discovery of the well "Barroso 2" (R4) IN 1922. Currently the oil fields of La Rosa in land and La Salina in Maracaibo's lake. Those are mature fields producing medium/heavy oil from La Rosa formation of Miocene age. La Rosa field was given in concession to German oil company Preussag Energy from 1996 to 2001 when it passed to the Venezuelan Suelopetrol. Later on, it became associated with the Venezuelan State own oil company PDVSA in 2006 being 60% PDVSA and 40% Suelopetrol.

Cabimas doesn't have facilities for natural gas management, processing and transport, so while the gas produced has been flared for several decades, there is currently a project to build a cryogenic plant.

Markets are another income for Cabimas, with big stores founded and owned by immigrants from Mediterranean Europe, Middle East and Colombia. There is fishing activity, currently harassed by the growth of algae in the polluted Maracaibo lake, as well as by insecurity (piracy).

There are some factories like a plastic bag factory and others. There is a former industrial area which is no longer operational. In the countryside, especially in the Aristides Calvani parish, fruit trees are grown and cattle is raised. The Cattle Raisers Association of East Maracaibo Lake operates in Cabimas.

This municipality is also known for a large number of spare auto parts stores.

The Cabimas and Maracaibo areas are both widely known for international credit card fraud.

Ports / Docks The port of La Salina, with its artificial island, is one of the main oil tanker docks in Maracaibos' lake, from where the crude is shipped to the United States of America, Europe or Asia. There are also some small private docks of oil service companies such as the Halliburton dock in Las Palmas. The Fishing dock is at the Boulevart Costanero, and is for small out-bound vessels. There are no commercial or tourist docks.

Universities • University Institute Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo. Delicias Nuevas Principal Av. • University Institute Monsenor of Talavera. • Polytechnical Institute Santiago Mariño • University Institute Tecnologic of Cabimas (IUTC) • Zulia University East Coast of the Lake Nucleous • National Experimental University Rafael Maria Baralt (UNERMB).