The Valero Three Rivers Refinery is located approximately 70 miles south of San Antonio, and in the heart of Eagle Ford Shale production. This economic advantage makes it an important link in Valero's operations in the Southwest. The plant, situated about halfway between San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Texas, began operations in 1974 with the commissioning of a crude unit and has had several major expansions and upgrades since then. The first expansion was in 1978 and 1979 when catalytic reformer and vacuum distillation units were added. In 1981, a fluidized catalytic cracking unit (FCC) and alkylation unit were added. In 1990 and 1992, the crude unit was expanded again. A continuous catalytic reformer was added in 1991. A hydrocracker unit was built in 1993, and a gas oil hydrotreater and hydrogen plant were moved to the plant site in 1995 and 1996. Additionally, a petrochemicals BTX extraction unit was added in 1996. Beginning in 2003, units were modified to provide the capability of processing medium-sour crude oil. The refinery is capable of producing a wide variety of products including gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, benzene, toluene, xylene, liquefied petroleum gases (LPGs), propylene, No. 6 fuel oil, fuel gas and sulfur. Due to the proximity of the Eagle Ford Shale formation, the refinery receives mostly local crude by trucks and pipelines. The finished products are mainly shipped by pipeline to the San Antonio terminals. The refinery also produces naphthenic lubricants/specialty process oils.
- Located on about 400 acres on the edge of the town of Three Rivers, Texas
- Began operations in 1974, with several major expansions and upgrades including a number of upgrading projects in 1998 through 2001 designed to optimize production
- One of six refineries acquired in the purchase of Ultramar Diamond Shamrock in 2002
- Total throughput capacity of approximately 100,000 barrels per day
- Connected to the Gulf Coast through a third-party pipeline and provides capability of foreign crude supply through the Valero Corpus Christi logistics system
- Able to capitalize on the advantage of being centrally located within the Eagle Ford Shale production area, which positively affects economics by using local crude
- Refined products distributed through approximately 500 miles of refined-product pipelines connected to five terminals in South Texas
- Can also ship gasoline, jet and diesel fuel, LPGs and benzene by on-site rail car and truck racks
- Employs approximately 305 individuals