EIA: U.S. Refinery Runs Below Average Due to COVID-19, Reduced Demand

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SUGAR LAND--November 16, 2020--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Since April, U.S. refinery runs have been lower than the five-year range from 2015 to 2019, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reduced demand for refined products, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). As of November 6, runs were 13.3 million barrels per day (BBL/d), compared with the 15.8 million BBL/d at the same time in 2019, according to the agency's Weekly Petroleum Status Report.

Industrial Info is tracking 50 U.S. petroleum refining projects worth $5.09 billion that have been delayed or otherwise affected by COVID-19 precautions. Click here for a list.

Click on the image at right for a graph showing U.S. refining projects impacted by COVID-19, by market region.

Domestic demand for petroleum fuels began to decrease substantially in April, resulting in reduced U.S. refinery operations. However, some refiners began increasing runs beginning in June in response to increased gasoline demand. And by the week ended August 21, gross refinery input of crude oil reached its highest level since demand began to wane.

But despite encouraging signs of a rebound for demand, some U.S. refiners could not avoid refinery closures. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A) (The Hague, Netherlands) will begin a shutdown of its 211,000-BBL/d Convent, Louisiana, refinery at the end of November. For more information, see November 5, 2020, article - Shell to Shut Down Refinery in Convent, Louisiana, Starting This Month.

Meanwhile, PBF Energy Incorporated (NYSE:PBF) (Parsippany, New Jersey) plans to idle gasoline production units at its Paulsboro Refinery in New Jersey, although lubes and asphalt units will remain in operation. The facility will continue to integrate with the Delaware City Refinery, located 30 miles away.

For more information, see October 30, 2020, article - PBF Energy to Idle Paulsboro Refining Units, Looks for More Cost Reductions.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) (Findlay, Ohio) closed its 27,000-BBL/d Gallup, New Mexico, refinery, and plans to convert its 166,000-BBL/d Martinez, California, refinery for renewable diesel production. For more information, see August 12, 2020, article - Marathon Petroleum Weighs Asset Portfolio, May Repurpose Idled California Refinery as Renewable Diesel Facility.

HollyFrontier Corporation (NYSE:HFC) (Dallas, Texas) closed its 52,000-BBL/d refinery in Cheyenne, Colorado, and plans to convert some of its hydrotreating capacity also to produce renewable diesel.

COVID-19-Impacted Refining Projects
Valero Energy Corporation's (NYSE:VLO) (San Antonio, Texas) $275 million sulfur recovery unit addition at its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, will now be completed in September 2023, pushed back from September 2022. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report, and October 23, 2020, article - Refiner Valero Not Out of Woods Yet, but Picture Brightening.

Deer Park Refining LP, a 50:50 joint venture between Shell Oil (NYSE:RDS.A) and PEMEX, has postponed planning for a fluid catalytic cracking unit upgrade at its 340,000-BBL/d Deer Park, Texas, refinery. The project could be delayed. For more information, see Industrial Info's project report.

Sinclair Oil Corporation (Salt Lake City, Utah) is looking at two refined product-storage projects impacted by COVID-19. A tank farm expansion at its Sinclair, Wyoming, refinery was originally scheduled for kickoff in April and completion in September, but all construction activities have been postponed until 2021. Completion is expected September 2021. Tank replacements at its Casper, Wyoming, refinery also have been delayed until next year, with kickoff in March. For more information, see Industrial Info's reports on the Sinclair and Casper projects.

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