Valero Retains No. 1 Spot as Top U.S. Refiner, but Changes are On The Way

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--With a refining capacity of nearly 2.2 million barrels per day (BBL/d), Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) (San Antonio, Texas) maintains its bragging rights as the No. 1 refiner in the U.S, according to a report released this week by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The EIA's annual Refining Capacity Report contains a wealth of data as of January 1, 2018. Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) (Findlay, Ohio) kept its No. 2 standing, as did Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XMO) (ExxonMobil) (Irving, Texas) at No. 3, and Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) (Houston, Texas) stayed in fourth place. However, Andeavor Corporation (NYSE:ANDV) (San Antonio, Texas) replaced Motiva Enterprises LLC (Houston) as the nation's fifth biggest refiner in terms of capacity.

In all, Industrial Info is tracking more than $35 billion in active capital and maintenance projects tied to the top five companies. This includes a significant number of chemical processing projects, valued at more than $13 billion, as well as more than $18 billion in refining industry projects. Not all of the projects will proceed according to plan, and Industrial Info assesses the likelihood of each project moving forward.

However, Valero is likely to be toppled from its No. 1 perch in next year's EIA report. Marathon Petroleum and Andeavor have announced plans to merge, with a combined capacity of more than 3 million BBL/d, which would easily overtake Valero as the top U.S. refiner. Marathon and Andeavor say they expect to complete the $23.3 billion deal in the second half of this year. For more information, see May 2, 2018, article - Marathon Petroleum-Andeavor Merger to Combine $5 Billion in Refining Projects.

Among its multitude of information, the EIA report features data on how the refineries received their crude supplies last year, including more than 4 billion barrels by pipeline, 1.7 billion barrels by tanker and more than 222 million barrels by barge. Crude by rail accounted for more than 98 million barrels, and crude by truck amounted to nearly 111 million barrels.

The EIA report also notes the U.S. refineries that changed ownership last year. Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE:RDS.A) (The Hague, Netherlands) ended its partnership in its Motiva Enterprises joint venture with Saudi Aramco (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) last year in the U.S., which impacted the ownership of three refineries in Louisiana and Texas.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.