Valero Energy and Darling Ingredients are planning to develop a biorefinery in Port Arthur, Texas (USA), through a 50/50 joint venture called Diamond Green Diesel Holdings. The facility would produce 1,514 million litres of biodiesel annually and 151 million litres of naphtha. The companies expect to reach a final investment decision (FID) on the project in 2021, with construction commencing in the same year and commissioning taking place in 2024. The partners have initiated advanced engineering and development cost review, and FID will depend on obtaining necessary permits and approval by respective boards.
The new project would raise Valero and Darling's biodiesel annual production capacity to 4,164 million litres and their naphtha production capacity to 378 million litres.
Diamond Green already operates a biodiesel plant in Norco, Louisiana, that will be expanded to produce 2,555 million litres annually of biodiesel and 227 million litres of naphtha.