A Houston-based company, Raven Petroleum, plans to build the largest new US oil refinery in nearly 40 years on 200 acres of South Texas ranch land, strategically located to process the Eagle Ford shale field’s lighter crude and export it to Mexico. The USD $500 million refinery is being built in the southwest corner of Duval County on the borders of Jim Hogg and Webb counties.
The facility will refine about 50,000 barrels a day of light crude oil. The company plans to export diesel, jet fuel, naphtha, gasoline and liquified petroleum gas products to Mexico’s recently opened energy market, the company said in a news release. Between 400 and 500 permanent jobs will be needed to staff the facility after it’s finished. Raven Petroleum is aiming to open the refinery by the end of 2018.