Mr. Mark Skobel

The Valero Port Arthur Refinery was commissioned in 1901 and has had many process additions and improvements in its history. In 2001, nearly $850 million was invested in a delayed coker and hydrocracker to enable the plant to run heavy, sour crude. Other investments include the recent expansion of the coker to 95,000 barrels per day (BPD) from 85,000 BPD, and the most recent expansion of the crude and vacuum units have increased the refinery’s ability to process lower-cost, heavy sour crude oil and increased throughput capacity to 310,000 BPD. The refinery is strategically located on the Texas Gulf Coast, approximately 90 miles east of Houston. The refinery’s location accommodates its extensive logistics system, which includes access to Gulf Coast water-borne crude oil via the refinery docks or through the Nederland, Texas, terminals of Sun or Oil Tanking.