BEAUMONT, Texas – ExxonMobil announced Thursday that its Beaumont refinery expansion project has added 250,000 barrels per day of capacity to one of the largest refining and petrochemical complexes along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
“ExxonMobil maintained its commitment to the Beaumont expansion even through the lows of the pandemic, knowing consumer demand would return and new capacity would be critical in the post-pandemic economic recovery,” said Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions. “The new crude unit enables us to produce even more transportation fuels at a time when demand is surging. This expansion is the equivalent of a medium-sized refinery and is a key part of our plans to provide society with reliable, affordable energy products.”
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The added volume in Beaumont increases its total processing capacity to more than 630,000 barrels per day, making it one of the largest refineries in the United States, according to the company’s news release about the project.
The company said the refinery is connected to pipelines from ExxonMobil’s operations in the U.S. Permian Basin, providing it with significant strategic advantages. Permian crude oil, it said, is processed at the Beaumont refinery where the company manufactures finished products, including diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel. With the completion of Wink to Webster and Beaumont pipelines, the new crude unit will also be well-positioned to further capitalize on segregated crude from the Delaware Basin, according to ExxonMobil.
Construction on the Beaumont expansion began in 2019 and involved 1,700 contractors. ExxonMobil said it has hired more than 50 full-time employees to help with the operation of the expanded refinery.
ExxonMobil’s integrated operations in Beaumont also include chemical, lubricants and polyethylene plants. ExxonMobil said it has approximately 2,100 employees in the Beaumont area.