Chevron Upgrades Pasadena Refinery to Increase Capacity, Feedstock and Product Flexibility

Rhea-AI Summary

Chevron has completed a retrofit of its Pasadena Refinery in Texas, increasing its processing capacity of lighter crudes by nearly 15% to 125,000 barrels per day. The Light Tight Oil (LTO) Project enhances facility reliability and safety while expanding product flexibility. The refinery will now produce jet fuel and export gas oil.

The upgrade allows Chevron to process more equity crude from the Permian Basin and supply more products to U.S. Gulf Coast customers. The project, which began planning in 2019 and construction in 2020, logged over 4 million work hours. The phased start-up is expected to continue through Q1 2025 to ensure proper operation and product specifications.

Positive

• 15% increase in processing capacity to 125,000 barrels per day
• Expansion of product portfolio to include jet fuel and gas oil exports
• Enhanced integration between upstream and downstream operations
• Increased capability to process equity crude from Permian Basin

Negative

• Extended start-up phase through Q1 2025 could delay full operational benefits

Insights

Energy Industry Analyst

The Pasadena refinery upgrade represents a significant strategic enhancement to Chevron's downstream capabilities. The 15% increase in light crude processing capacity to 125,000 barrels per day creates valuable vertical integration with Chevron's Permian Basin operations. This optimization of the crude-to-product value chain should improve margins and operational efficiency.

The addition of jet fuel production and gas oil export capabilities diversifies the product slate and opens new revenue streams. The timing is particularly advantageous given strong jet fuel demand recovery and favorable export markets. The phased startup through Q1 2025 suggests a careful approach to ensuring optimal performance and product quality.

The integration with the Pascagoula refinery creates operational synergies that should reduce costs and improve supply chain flexibility across Chevron's Gulf Coast refining network. This investment strengthens Chevron's competitive position in processing domestic light crude oil while expanding its product offering in key growth markets.

Financial Analyst

This capital investment demonstrates Chevron's commitment to optimizing its downstream portfolio following the strategic $350 million acquisition of the Pasadena refinery in 2019. The upgrade will enhance processing capabilities for lower-cost Permian crude, potentially improving refining margins and return on capital employed (ROCE).

The project's completion strengthens Chevron's integrated business model by creating additional outlets for its growing Permian production. The expanded product flexibility, particularly in jet fuel and gas oil, provides revenue diversification and exposure to premium markets. While specific financial impacts aren't disclosed, the operational improvements and increased throughput capacity should contribute positively to downstream earnings starting in 2025.

Facility increases equity Permian crude processing capacity, bolstering American energy value chain

PASADENA, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Chevron U.S.A., Inc. (CUSA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), has completed a retrofit of its refinery in Pasadena, Texas, which is expected to increase product flexibility and expand the processing capacity of lighter crudes by nearly 15 percent to 125,000 barrels per day.

Chevron acquired the Pasadena Refinery in 2019 with the strategic intent to expand its Gulf Coast refining system. This project is expected to allow the company to process more equity crude from the Permian Basin, supply more products to customers in the U.S. Gulf Coast and realize synergies with the company’s Pascagoula refinery.

The Light Tight Oil (LTO) Project aims to enhance facility reliability and safety and will ultimately result in an increase in the supply of refined products domestically. The refinery will also begin producing jet fuel and exporting gas oil.

“The Pasadena Refinery is on a journey to maximize value for Chevron and the community it serves by driving progress in safety and reliability,” said Chevron Manufacturing President Chris Cavote. “This refinery now firmly integrates our upstream and downstream businesses as we aim to optimize the value chain.”

Planning for the LTO Project began in 2019 with work beginning in early 2020.

“I’m extremely proud of our employee and contractor workforce, which logged over 4 million hours to complete this complex project in an operating refinery. Our safety program reinforced the focus on working safely throughout the project,” said Refinery General Manager Tifanie Steele. “We are investing in the refinery to help it be successful in the long-term, which we hope will support continuing positive economic impact to our community.”

The phased start-up of the asset is expected to last through Q1 of 2025 as project team members work to confirm all plants are operating as planned and products are developed to specification.

About Chevron

Chevron (NYSE: CVX) is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies. We believe affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy is essential to enabling human progress. Chevron produces crude oil and natural gas; manufactures transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and additives; and develops technologies that enhance our business and the industry. We aim to grow our oil and gas business, lower the carbon intensity of our operations and grow lower carbon businesses in renewable fuels, carbon capture and offsets, hydrogen and other emerging technologies. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.

NOTICE

As used in this news release, the term “Chevron” and such terms as “the company,” “the corporation,” “our,” “we,” “us” and “its” may refer to Chevron Corporation, one or more of its consolidated subsidiaries, or to all of them taken as a whole. All of these terms are used for convenience only and are not intended as a precise description of any of the separate companies, each of which manages its own affairs. Structural cost reductions describe decreases in operating expenses from operational efficiencies, divestments, and other cost saving measures that are expected to be sustainable compared with 2024 levels.

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CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS RELEVANT TO FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF “SAFE HARBOR” PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to Chevron’s operations and lower carbon strategy that are based on management’s current expectations, estimates, and projections about the petroleum, chemicals, and other energy-related industries. Words or phrases such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “targets,” “advances,” “commits,” “drives,” “aims,” “forecasts,” “projects,” “believes,” “approaches,” “seeks,” “schedules,” “estimates,” “positions,” “pursues,” “progress,” “may,” “can,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “budgets,” “outlook,” “trends,” “guidance,” “focus,” “on track,” “goals,” “objectives,” “strategies,” “opportunities,” “poised,” “potential,” “ambitions,” “aspires” and similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but not all forward-looking statements include such words. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the company’s control and are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. The reader should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report. Unless legally required, Chevron undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are: changing crude oil and natural gas prices and demand for the company’s products, and production curtailments due to market conditions; crude oil production quotas or other actions that might be imposed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producing countries; technological advancements; changes to government policies in the countries in which the company operates; public health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics, and any related government policies and actions; disruptions in the company’s global supply chain, including supply chain constraints and escalation of the cost of goods and services; changing economic, regulatory and political environments in the various countries in which the company operates; general domestic and international economic, market and political conditions, including the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the conflict in Israel and the global response to these hostilities; changing refining, marketing and chemicals margins; the company’s ability to realize anticipated cost savings and efficiencies associated with enterprise structural cost reduction initiatives; the potential for gains and losses from asset dispositions or impairments; the possibility that future charges related to enterprise structural cost reduction initiatives, impairments and other obligations may be greater or different than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected or changed facts, circumstances and assumptions; actions of competitors or regulators; timing of exploration expenses; timing of crude oil liftings; the competitiveness of alternate-energy sources or product substitutes; development of large carbon capture and offset markets; the results of operations and financial condition of the company’s suppliers, vendors, partners and equity affiliates; the inability or failure of the company’s joint-venture partners to fund their share of operations and development activities; the potential failure to achieve expected net production from existing and future crude oil and natural gas development projects; potential delays in the development, construction or start-up of planned projects; the potential disruption or interruption of the company’s operations due to war, accidents, political events, civil unrest, severe weather, cyber threats, terrorist acts, or other natural or human causes beyond the company’s control; the potential liability for remedial actions or assessments under existing or future environmental regulations and litigation; significant operational, investment or product changes undertaken or required by existing or future environmental statutes and regulations, including international agreements and national or regional legislation and regulatory measures related to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change; the potential liability resulting from pending or future litigation; the risk that regulatory approvals and clearances related to the Hess Corporation (Hess) transaction are not obtained or are obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated by the company and Hess; potential delays in consummating the Hess transaction, including as a result of the ongoing arbitration proceedings regarding preemptive rights in the Stabroek Block joint operating agreement; risks that such ongoing arbitration is not satisfactorily resolved and the potential transaction fails to be consummated; uncertainties as to whether the potential transaction, if consummated, will achieve its anticipated economic benefits, including as a result of risks associated with third party contracts containing material consent, anti-assignment, transfer or other provisions that may be related to the potential transaction that are not waived or otherwise satisfactorily resolved; the company’s ability to integrate Hess’ operations in a successful manner and in the expected time period; the possibility that any of the anticipated benefits and projected synergies of the potential transaction will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; the company’s future acquisitions or dispositions of assets or shares or the delay or failure of such transactions to close based on required closing conditions; government mandated sales, divestitures, recapitalizations, taxes and tax audits, tariffs, sanctions, changes in fiscal terms or restrictions on scope of company operations; foreign currency movements compared with the U.S. dollar; higher inflation and related impacts; material reductions in corporate liquidity and access to debt markets; changes to the company’s capital allocation strategies; the effects of changed accounting rules under generally accepted accounting principles promulgated by rule-setting bodies; the company’s ability to identify and mitigate the risks and hazards inherent in operating in the global energy industry; and the factors set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” on pages 20 through 26 of the company’s 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K and in subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Other unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed in this report could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241210415151/en/

For media inquiries contact:

Allison Cook

ACook@chevron.com

Source: Chevron Corporation

FAQ

What is the new processing capacity of Chevron's (CVX) Pasadena Refinery after the upgrade?

After the upgrade, Chevron's Pasadena Refinery can process 125,000 barrels per day, representing a 15% increase in lighter crude processing capacity.

When will Chevron's (CVX) Pasadena Refinery upgrade be fully operational?

The phased start-up of the upgraded Pasadena Refinery is expected to last through Q1 of 2025.

What new products will Chevron's (CVX) Pasadena Refinery produce after the retrofit?

Following the retrofit, the Pasadena Refinery will begin producing jet fuel and exporting gas oil.

How many work hours were spent on Chevron's (CVX) Pasadena Refinery upgrade project?

The workforce logged over 4 million hours to complete the complex upgrade project at the Pasadena Refinery.