The state-owned company joined this traditional celebration with events marked by the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the discovery of oil in Magallanes and the 70th anniversary of the Aconcagua Refinery.
With visitors of all ages attending from both central and southern Chile, Enap celebrated the 2025 Cultural Heritage Day by connecting the community with history, industrial heritage, and future energy challenges in the Valparaíso and Magallanes regions.
On Saturday, May 24, 150 people took part in a Heritage Day held at the Concón Refinery Sports Club. In partnership with the local municipality and the Technical Training Center of Pontificia Universidad Católica of Valparaíso, the event featured guided tours, a culinary and artisan showcase, and historical reenactments of the 1891 Civil War, highlighting the historic Concón Bajo estate, which served as a field hospital during the battles of Concón and Placilla.
Jorge Alméstar, Manager of the Aconcagua Refinery, praised the community’s participation and the cultural significance of the event during a milestone year for the company. “We’re very happy to have welcomed the community during such a symbolic year for Enap, commemorating both the 70 years of our refinery and the 80 years since oil was discovered in Magallanes. We wanted to reconnect with our roots. This place is not only part of our industrial history but also part of Concón’s story,” he said.
Living History in Magallanes
On Sunday, May 25, Enap Magallanes opened the doors of its iconic central building in Punta Arenas, welcoming around 400 visitors. Through guided tours, attendees learned about the history of the building, constructed in 1948, and explored the company’s development in oil and gas production, as well as its new ventures, such as green hydrogen.
“Heritage Day is a cultural celebration we’ve supported for many years, because building this connection with the community is important to us—especially in such a meaningful year as this one, when we’ll soon commemorate 80 years since oil was discovered. Enap is a company of and for this region, playing a key role in energy supply here and across the country. That’s why it’s essential for people to get to know us, walk through our building, and especially absorb our history, understand what we’ve done, what we’re working on, and how we see the future—with hydrocarbons, but also with new energy sources,” said Rodrigo Bustamante, Manager of Enap Magallanes.
The event in Magallanes also included specialized talks on geology, where experts explained the composition of the Austral Basin and current exploratory work in search of hydrocarbons. There was also a numismatics exhibit in Cerro Sombrero, further reinforcing the cultural and educational focus of the event.
Both activities were attended by local and regional authorities. Enap employees also volunteered to guide visitors, share stories, and recount anecdotes from the company's historical and productive journey.
“Impressive, wonderful to see this historic building for the first time and understand the production processes,” said some of the visitors in Punta Arenas. In Concón, attendees described the event as “excellent and very well organized, with valuable historical information for all residents.”