ExxonMobil starts up Beaumont refinery expansion, adds 250 KBPD

ExxonMobil announced the successful startup of its Beaumont refinery expansion project, which adds 250 thousand barrels per day (kbpd) of capacity to one of the largest refining and petrochemical complexes along the U.S. Gulf Coast. The expansion is equivalent to adding a medium-sized refinery, the company said.

ExxonMobil’s largest refinery expansion since 2012 is supported by the company’s growing crude production in the Permian Basin.

“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.”

The added volume in Beaumont, Texas increases its total processing capacity to more than 630,000 bpd, making it one of the largest refineries in the United States. 

The refinery is connected to pipelines from ExxonMobil’s operations in the U.S. Permian Basin, providing the company with significant strategic advantages. Permian crude oil 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.

In 2022, ExxonMobil reached record production at its North American refineries and achieved its highest global throughput since 2012. 

Construction on the Beaumont expansion began in 2019 and involved 1,700 contractors. ExxonMobil has hired more than 50 full-time employees to help with the operation of the expanded refinery. The company’s extensive project management experience enabled the new crude and hydrotreater units to startup according to planned cost and schedule, the company said.

ExxonMobil’s integrated operations in Beaumont also include chemical, lubricants and polyethylene plants. ExxonMobil has approximately 2,100 employees in the Beaumont area and its operations account for approximately one in every seven jobs in the region.