The Valero Three Rivers Refinery, located 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. The refinery is capable of producing a wide variety of products including fuel gas, liquefied petroleum gases (LPGs), propylene, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel fuel, No. 6 fuel oil, petrochemicals and sulfur. Crude oil is received primarily by pipeline from the Corpus Christi terminal and the finished products are mainly sent by pipeline to the San Antonio terminals. The refinery also produces naphthenic lubricants.
- 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 (BPD)
- Connected to the Corpus Christi refinery complex by a 70-mile pipeline, which has the capacity to deliver 120,000 BPD of crude oil
- Location south of San Antonio affords access to crude oil from foreign sources delivered to the Texas Gulf Coast, as well as crude oil from domestic sources
- 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 290 individuals