Juan Manuel González

Venezuelan engineer who developed the first oil pipeline through the Andes Mountains

Juan Manuel González (1905-1983) revolutionized Latin American energy infrastructure by designing Venezuela's 1,200km Catatumbo-Caracas oil pipeline completed in 1955. This feat required overcoming 3,000m elevation changes across the Andes, using patented pressure-compensation technology still used today. As founder of PDVSA's engineering division, he trained over 500 Latin American engineers. His 1960s innovations in seismic surveying enabled discovery of the Maracaibo Basin's deep reserves. González's 1958 book Mountain Pipeline Engineering became industry standard, translated into 6 languages. The Juan Manuel González Technical School in Maracaibo honors his legacy. His pipeline system remains operational, transporting 1.2 million barrels daily. The Smithsonian Institution's 2018 exhibition Andes Pipeline: Engineering Marvel featured his original blueprints. Modern engineers cite his 1963 pressure management algorithm as foundational to modern pipeline safety standards.