🚨Help is on the way for American drivers. @ValeroEnergy is buying the shuttered @LyondellBasell Houston refinery on the Houston Ship Channel for $320.5 million and plans to restart roughly 165,000 barrels per day of light sweet crude processing by the end of 2027.⁠ This brings real refining capacity back online after years of U.S. plant closures that tightened domestic fuel supply. Key points: •Capacity return: Restarts 165,000 b/d of light sweet crude processing by year-end 2027, with potential later investment in heavier/sour crude processing. •Strategic location: ~700-acre site sits directly next to Valero’s existing Houston refinery, including storage, marine docks, rail, and logistics assets for better integration across its Gulf Coast system.⁠ •Supply support: Adds gasoline, diesel, and other fuels produced in the U.S., reducing reliance on imports when global markets tighten due to conflicts and disruptions.⁠ •Economic upside: Supports skilled jobs and industrial activity along the Ship Channel; Valero takes on operations plus environmental and employee obligations.⁠ •Context: The plant (one of Houston’s oldest) closed in early 2025 as LyondellBasell exited refining. This deal recovers a meaningful share of recently lost U.S. capacity at a fraction of the cost of building new.⁠ More domestic refining capacity means more fuel made closer to home. While the restart timeline runs to late 2027 and won’t instantly slash pump prices, it strengthens U.S. fuel supply resilience. In a world of geopolitical shocks and shrinking refining capacity, American drivers benefit from companies investing to process more barrels here. This is a concrete step in the right direction. [Link to story in next post.]