ExxonMobil unleashing affordable energy with refinery expansion

Published

2 years ago

April 24, 2023

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close video ExxonMobils TX refinery expansion brings much needed affordable energy, fuels US economy: Janet Matsushita

ExxonMobil Senior Vice President of Global Operations Janet Matsushita tells Fox News Digital that its biggest oil expansion in 10 years is operating safely and reliably at full capacity.

Near the Gulf Coast just east of Texas’ oil-rich Permian Basin, nearly 2,000 ExxonMobil contractors are making sure the company’s latest project – which includes 26 miles of piping, 35 miles of electrical wiring and 875 tons of steel – is pumping oil at full capacity.

After launching America’s largest oil refinery expansion in over a decade, ExxonMobil’s senior vice president of global operations detailed how the company’s Beaumont complex is not only fueling U.S. energy supply but also the economy.

"When you put it all together and you look at this particular location, what I love about it, it allows us to buy what I consider to be very much needed, affordable energy, and in a very reliable supply to fuel the economy that we have here in Texas, the U.S. and, I say, across the globe," Janet Matsushita told Fox News Digital.

After beginning construction in 2019, the Beaumont refinery startup broke ground just over one month ago and added 250,000 barrels per day to its oil output, increasing its total processing capacity to more than 630,000 barrels daily. To put things into perspective, this equates to a sizable 4 million gallons per day, providing enough fuel to power 61,000 long-haul trucks in a single day.

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The project's reported hefty $2 billion price tag was no match for Exxon, who completed the expansion on time and on budget, earning the facility two consecutive Gold Energy Star acknowledgments from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to Matsushita.

ExxonMobils Beaumont refinery expansion adds 250,000 barrels per day to the oil companys processing capacity. (Fox News)

"It is actually the equivalent of building a brand-new refinery. It is a big expansion, it is not a minor expansion," she said contently. "When we built this project, we actually leveraged some of the best energy technology available so that when we operate this new project itself, it is one of the most energy-efficient versus industry standard."

"And [what's] really nice to see, we're actually connected to the U.S. Permian crude," she continued, "which is right here in our Texas backyard, and that is also a very energy-efficient operation in terms of how we perform. And it has an aspiration to actually be net-zero by 2030."

Prior to opening, the Beaumont expansion went through rigorous performance testing for safety and reliability, the VP of global operations explained. After 5 million working-person hours, ExxonMobil has reported no mishaps or injuries on site. close video Exxon, Chevron to focus on oil projects in the Americas

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"I'm extremely pleased to say that the whole project right now is actually running at design capability, which really speaks to the quality not only of the project, but of the execution-operating team that we have here in Beaumont," Matsushita touted.

In addition to now being one of the largest oil refineries in America, the Beaumont expansion also works towards ExxonMobil’s mission of creating sustainable solutions that improve quality of life and meet society's evolving needs.

"In 2022 post the pandemic, there was a significant demand for affordable energy to fuel the whole economic growth that was there," she said. "ExxonMobil from a manufacturing perspective. We globally actually ran the most throughput that we have had since 2012. And here in the U.S., we actually hit our highest peak record production of 2.1 million barrels a day of capacity, which is something we feel good about."

ExxonMobil is boosting fuel supply in Beaumont, Texas, with Americas largest refinery expansion since 2021. (Fox News)

And if it wasn't for the technology and engineering teams utilizing "really brilliant" 3-D imaging to create virtual models, training and planning for the expansion would not have run as smoothly, she said.

"We actually do move a lot of our best global teams and we implement that global best practice at each of the sites. And we actually brought that all together here in Beaumont to be able to make this project such a success," Matsushita said. "The 3-D models, it allowed us to actually expedite our construction, so we knew exactly in all three dimensions what it would look like, and to compare it, train it, be ready for it. And now we have that available to us as we go forward from a sustainable maintenance perspective."

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The expansion’s peak hiring number thus far has swelled to about 1,700 on-site employees. From a local point-of-view, Beaumont – which sits about 80 miles east of Houston – has seen a $500 million influx from the project.

"We look forward to fueling the economy here as we go forward," Matsushita told Fox News Digital. "We've added major chemical refining, lubricants and [liquefied petroleum gas] projects all across Texas and Louisiana, and I do believe directly and through the multiplier effects of our investments, all of our expansion projects, we expect to provide long-term economic benefits for the regions that we actually operate in, and we're very proud of our connectivity with our community."

Business

Britain’s winter blackout risk the lowest in six years – but ‘tight’ days expected

Published

3 hours ago

October 9, 2025

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Britain's winter blackout risk the lowest in six years - but 'tight' days expected

Britain is at the lowest risk of a winter power blackout than at any point in the last six years, the national electricity grid operator has said.

Not since the pre-pandemic winter of 2019-2020 has the risk been so low, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) said.

It’s thanks to increased battery capacity to store and deploy excess power from windfarms, and a new subsea electricity cable to Ireland that came on stream in April.

The margins between expected demand and supply are now roughly three gas power stations greater than last year, the NESO said.

It also comes as Britain and the world reached new records for green power.

For the first time, renewable energy produced more of the world’s electricity than coal in the first half of 2025, while in Britain, a record 54.5% of power came from renewables like solar and wind energy in the three months to June.

More renewable power can mean lower bills, as there’s less reliance on volatile oil and gas markets, which have remained elevated after the invasion of Ukraine and the Western attempt to wean off Russian fossil fuels.

“Renewables are lowering wholesale electricity prices by up to a quarter”, said Jess Ralston, an energy analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) thinktank.

In a recent winter, British coal plants were fired up to meet capacity constraints when cold weather increased demand, but still weather conditions meant lower supply, as the wind didn’t blow.

Those plants have since been decommissioned.

But it may not be all plain sailing…

There will, however, be some “tight” days, the NESO said.

On such occasions, the NESO will tell electricity suppliers to up their output.

The times Britain is most likely to experience supply constraints are in early December or mid-January, the grid operator said.

The NESO had been owned by National Grid, a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, but was acquired by the government for £630m in 2023.

Business

Man Utd and chemicals boss warns of ‘moment of reckoning’ for his industry

Published

3 hours ago

October 9, 2025

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Man Utd and chemicals boss warns of 'moment of reckoning' for his industry

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the co-owner of Manchester United and head of Ineos, one of Europe’s largest chemical producers, has staged an “11th-hour intervention” in an effort to “save” the chemical industry.

Sir Jim has called on European legislators to reduce price pressures on chemical businesses, or there “won’t be a chemical industry left to save”.

“There’s, in my view, not a great deal of time left before we see a catastrophic decline in the chemical industry in Europe”, he said.

The “biggest problem” facing businesses is gas and electricity costs, with the EU needing to be “more reactive” on tariffs to protect competition, Sir Jim added.

Prices should be eased on chemical companies by reducing taxes, regulatory burdens, and bringing back free polluting permits, the Ineos chairman and chief executive said.

It comes as his company, Europe’s biggest producer of some chemicals and one of the world’s largest chemical firms, announced the loss of 60 jobs at its acetyls factory in Hull earlier this week.

Cheap imports from China were said to be behind the closure, as international competition facing lower costs has hit the sector.

What could happen?

Now is a “moment of reckoning” for Europe’s chemicals industry, which is “at a tipping point and can only be saved through urgent action”, Sir Jim said.

European chemical sector output declined significantly due to reduced price competitiveness from high energy and regulatory costs, according to research funded by Ineos and carried out by economic advisory firm Oxford Economics.

The report said the continent’s policymakers face a “critical” decision between acting now to safeguard “this vital strategic industry or risk its irreversible decline”.

As many as 1.2 million people are directly employed by chemical businesses, with millions more supported in the supply chain and through staff spending wages, the Oxford Economics report read.

Average investment by European chemical firms was half that of US counterparts (1.5%, compared to 3%), a trend which is projected to continue, the report added.

Sports

Jays knock out Yankees, reach 1st ALCS since ’16

Published

6 hours ago

October 9, 2025

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Jays knock out Yankees, reach 1st ALCS since '16

Associated Press

Oct 8, 2025, 10:39 PM ET

NEW YORK — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer each drove in a run, and eight Toronto pitchers shut down the New York Yankees in a 5-2 victory Wednesday night that sent the Blue Jays to the American League Championship Series for the first time in nine years.

Nathan Lukes provided a two-run single and Addison Barger had three of Toronto’s 12 hits as the pesky Blue Jays, fouling off tough pitches and consistently putting the ball in play, bounced right back after blowing a five-run lead in Tuesday night’s loss at Yankee Stadium.

AL East champion Toronto took the best-of-five Division Series 3-1 and will host Game 1 in the best-of-seven ALCS on Sunday against the Detroit Tigers or Seattle Mariners.

Those teams are set to decide their playoff series Friday in Game 5 at Seattle.

Ryan McMahon homered for the wild-card Yankees, unable to stave off elimination for a fourth time this postseason as they failed to repeat as AL champions.

Despite a terrific playoff performance from Aaron Judge following his previous October troubles, the 33-year-old star slugger remains without a World Series ring. New York is still chasing its 28th title and first since 2009.