The modular build project will be a third crude unit within the facility’s existing footprint. The new unit will expand light crude oil refining, supported by the increased crude oil production in the Permian Basin.
The company plans to file a formal application with FERC in February 2023 upon completion and approval of the commission’s mandatory six-month pre-filing process. Construction would begin in October 2024 with a projected in-service date during the second half of 2031.
ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge Refinery Plant Manager Dave Oldreive leads the charge for what is now the fifth-largest refinery in the U.S. It occupies about 2,100 acres, including nearby tank farms, and has an input capacity of 540,000 barrels per day.
The hydrotreating expansion will allow for the facility to become a full base-oils (lubricants) recycling operation, processing Blue Tide produced and additional third-party-sourced VGO into Group II+ base oils.
