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NPRA

Facts At A Glance

U.S. Refiners Are Expanding Capacity to Meet Growing Demand

"With the amount of new capacity U.S. refiners have added at existing facilities since 1994, it's as though the industry has been building a new, world-class refinery each year. Refiners are continuing to expand capacity to meet an ever-growing demand, with billions of dollars in reinvestments and a total increase of more than one million barrels per day of input projected over the next four years. We could essentially add as much capacity in the next four years as we've added over the last fourteen."

Charles T. Drevna
Executive Vice President, National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA)
August 2, 2007

Capacity Continues to Grow

  • Over the past decade, domestic refining capacity has substantially increased - by an average of 177,000 barrels per day of production each year. Refining capacity continues to grow despite the fact that the number of operable refineries in the United States has decreased by more than half - from 301 to 149 - in the last 25 years. (source: EIA)

Supply Rising Steadily Despite Challenges

  • In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, at the request of policymakers, scheduled maintenance at unaffected facilities was deferred to repair and rebuild the Gulf Coast facilities. Several recent unplanned outages due to lightning strikes, fires, flooding, and power outages have also occurred. U.S. refiners have nevertheless met the challenge of providing a stable supply to fulfill our nation's growing demand for clean, affordable gasoline and diesel fuel - without shortages or lines at the pump.


Biofuel Mandates and Other Conflicting Signals Will Limit Capacity Expansion

  • Increases in the federal biofuels mandate and calls to reduce gasoline consumption 20 percent in 10 years could limit the need and desire for additional domestic refining capacity. Refiners, who look long-term, are likely to perceive rapidly rising biofuels requirements and demands for reduced consumption in the future as adding significantly more risk to reinvestments in capacity expansions.