Published on Tuesday, January 31 2023
Authors: Cinda Lohmann

On December 1, 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) targets for 2023, 2024, and 2025.  The announcement was highly unusual on more than one level.  First, the EPA set targets for three years instead of the usual yearly target.  Secondly, and most importantly,…

Published on Thursday, January 26 2023
Authors: Harold "Skip" York

The challenge of balancing refinery yields with evolving product demand. In the movie, “The Rock”, John Mason (Sean Connery) might have had U.S. refiners in mind when he said, "Well, Womack, you're between The Rock and a hard case." Refinery product yields and product demand are constantly in a state…

Published on Thursday, January 19 2023
Authors: Brian Graham

While U.S. refining has seen significant capacity reductions in recent years (see Table below), largely from COVID-driven demand destruction, and the conversion of refineries into renewable fuels facilities, ExxonMobil has bucked the trend in spectacular fashion by investing $2B in a 250 MBPD expansion at its refinery in Beaumont, Texas,…