The bubble burst, demand fell and this and other expansions had their schedules stretched out or completely put on hold.
This was the biggest expansion of them all; $10 billion. They essentially added another large refinery at the same location.
Motiva Fact Sheet
http://www-static.shell.com/static/motiva/downloads/port_arthur/motiva_fact_sheet.pdf
SITE PROFILE
The Port Arthur Refinery celebrated its 100th anniversary on November 13, 2003. Motiva Port Arthur Refinery is a joint venture with a 50% ownership between Shell Oil Company and Saudi Refining, Inc. The refinery is located in close proximity to neighborhoods and works in partnership with its citizens. The refinery’s capacity is 600,000 barrels per day (b/d).
The refinery operates the largest single lube plant in the United States, producing lubricant base oils that are sold to Shell Lubricants as well as various industrial companies.
LOCATION
The Port Arthur Refinery is approximately 3,600 acres and is located in Jefferson County within the city limits of Port Arthur, Texas. The refinery is located between Highway 73 and Highway 87 on Savannah Avenue in Port Arthur, approximately 90 miles from Houston, Texas.
EARLY HISTORY
The Port Arthur Refinery began operations as The Texas Company’s (later Texaco) first refinery in 1903. It was a direct by-product of the January 10, 1901, Lucas Gusher and the resulting Spindletop oil boom at Beaumont, Texas.
RECENT HISTORY
On January 1, 1989, Saudi Refining, Inc. purchased 50% of the Port Arthur Refinery as part of a joint venture with Texaco and Saudi Refining, and the refinery became known as Star Enterprise. On July 1, 1998, a joint venture was formed between Texaco, Saudi Refining and Shell Oil Co. under the name Motiva Enterprises LLC. In 2001, Texaco was purchased by Chevron and its interest in Motiva was sold to Shell Oil and Saudi Refining, Inc. on February 13, 2002. Port Arthur Refinery is still operated as Motiva, which is now jointly owned, with Shell Oil and Saudi Refining, Inc. being 50/50 partners.
In December 2007, ground was broken for the Crude Expansion Product (CEP). New assets include a Delayed Coking Unit (DCU); Vacuum Pipe Still (VPS); Naphtha Complex (NPC); Hydrocracking Unit (HCU); Sulfur Block (SBU); Power Station (PS); Hydrotreating Unit (HTU); and auxiliary support units. The expansion added 325,000 b/d of capacity, resulting in a total of 600,000 b/d of refining capacity, making the Motiva Port Arthur Refinery the largest refinery in the United States.
WORKFORCE
The refinery has a diverse workforce of approximately 1,300 full-time employees and 500+ contractors on site each day.
Process and Maintenance Technicians operate the processing units and maintain the plant equipment. Safety and Environmental professionals, Engineers, Chemists, Quality Assurance Technicians, Business Planning, Finance, Human Resource and Communications professionals support them.
WHAT WE MAKE
- Gasoline: While the plant still produces some conventional gasoline, most of the production is Basestock for Oxygenate Blending, or BOB. The BOB is blended with ethanol at product terminals to produce finished gasoline.
- Jet Fuel: Commercial aviation fuel.
- Diesel Fuel: All of the plant’s diesel production is Ultra Low Sulfur (ULSD) or Texas Low Emissions Diesel and is used in commercial sales, the trucking industry and in heavyduty machinery.
- Chemical Feedstocks: Propane and butane are produced and sold via pipeline.
- Largest single lube plant in the US, producing Group II lubricant base oils.
HOW WE TRANSPORT IT
The facility has access to multiple major crude oil and product pipelines, which transport gasoline, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel to the East Coast, Midwest, Central Texas and the Southeast Texas area. Lube Base Oil is also shipped by marine vessels, rail, and tanker truck. The refinery has a dock facility in Port Arthur, Texas allowing for waterborne delivery of products.
PRODUCTION CAPACITY
- Daily capacities are:
- Crude: 600,000 b/d capacity
- Gasoline: 240,000 b/d
- Lube base oil: 40,000 b/d
- Jet-A aviation fuel: 70,000 b/d
- Low sulfur diesel: 190,000 b/d
- Fuel grade coke: 8,000 tons per day
DOCK FACILITIES
Motiva’s dock facility is located on the Sabine Lake/Intracoastal Waterway in Port Arthur, Texas.
SAFETY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBIITY
The safety and quality of life of the citizens in the surrounding communities and our employees are the main focus of operations at our facility. We strive to operate at all times in a safe, reliable and environmentally-sound manner.
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