Valero Energy Corp. has revised its plans for an expansion of its 250,000-b/d St. Charles refinery at Norco, La., the company said in a recent request to state regulators for an operating permit modification.
Valero has reduced the planned crude oil processing capacity to 275,000 b/d from an original target of 290,000 b/d, according to a public notice filing with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ).
The processing capacity expansion comes as part of a series of projects at the St. Charles refinery that are designed to improve the plants efficiency as well as reduce emissions, the filing said.
Other projects slated for the St. Charles refinery include the addition of a catalytic naphtha hydrotreater; a marine vapor recovery unit; and a benzene, toluene, and xylene unit, according to the filing.
No timetables were available as to when the expansion would be completed. Public comments on the proposed permit modifications for the St. Charles plant are due to LDEQ by Feb. 20.
