Valero says DGD project commissioned, started up in Q4

The DGD project adjacent to the Port Arthur refinery, which has a production capacity of 470 million gallons per year of renewable diesel and 20 million gallons per year of renewable naphtha, was commissioned and started up in the fourth quarter. The project was completed under budget and ahead of the original schedule. Total annual DGD production capacity is now approximately 1.2 billion gallons of renewable diesel and 50 million gallons of renewable naphtha. Refinery optimization projects that are expected to reduce costs and improve margin capture are progressing on schedule. The Port Arthur Coker project is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2023 and to increase the refinery’s throughput capacity, while also improving turnaround efficiency. BlackRock and Navigator’s carbon sequestration project is still expected to begin startup activities in late 2024. Valero expects to be the anchor shipper with eight of its ethanol plants connected to this system, which is expected to result in the production of a lower carbon intensity ethanol product that should significantly improve the margin profile and competitive positioning of the ethanol business.