Valero Restarts Port Arthur Refinery: Sources

• The explosion on Monday night shut down 14 units including the 210,000-bpd crude distillation unit, the refinery's larger CDU that converts crude oil into feedstocks
• Key production units offline include a 75,000-bpd fluid catalytic cracking unit, 57,000-bpd hydrocracker, and 100,000-bpd coker used for diesel and gasoline production
• Valero plans a cautious restart to avoid further explosion or fire risks as production is restored at the idled facility

Valero Restarts Port Arthur Refinery Following Explosion

Valero Energy Corp began restarting its 380,000 barrel-per-day Port Arthur, Texas refinery on Wednesday, March 25, two days after an explosion at the facility. The incident occurred Monday night when a 47,000-bpd diesel hydrotreater (unit 243) exploded, triggering a fire that forced a complete shutdown of the refinery.

Key Details:

The damaged hydrotreater will remain offline for repairs while other units are brought back online. The explosion resulted from an ignited process fuel release and caused the facility to lose critical steam and water systems during the blaze. Fourteen additional units were shut down, including major production assets:

• The 210,000-bpd AVU-146 crude distillation unit (the larger of two CDUs)
• 75,000-bpd fluid catalytic cracking unit
• 57,000-bpd hydrocracker (unit 943)
• 100,000-bpd coker (unit 843)
• 50,000-bpd Platformer and 16,900-bpd alkylation unit
• Three additional hydrotreaters and four sulfur recovery units

Market Implications:

The temporary shutdown of one of the nation's largest refineries could impact fuel supplies, particularly diesel and gasoline production along the Gulf Coast. Valero plans a cautious restart to prevent further incidents. The hydrotreater involved uses hydrogen to remove sulfur from hydrocarbons in compliance with environmental regulations.

The incident was reported to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Valero did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday evening. The restart timeline for full operations remains uncertain as the company prioritizes safety over speed.