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Texas refineries dominate Venezuelan oil imports to U.S. Gulf Coast
Texas accounts for 43% of the Venezuelan crude that enters the United States, making it the single largest receiver of the South American producer’s oil on the Gulf Coast. Louisiana receives 39%, while Mississippi and Delaware take the remaining 14% and 4% respectively. The share reflects decades‑long investment in heavy‑crude processing capacity, with about 3.6 million barrels per day of Texas refinery output able to handle Venezuelan grades.
Imports have surged since early 2024, climbing from roughly 110,000 barrels per day in January to about 575,000 barrels per day in June, according to federal data cited by S&P Global Energy. The spike is linked to the Iran‑related closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has limited Middle‑Eastern supplies and pushed Gulf‑Coast refiners to seek alternative heavy crude. Major Texas receivers include Citgo, Valero, Marathon Petroleum and Phillips 66; in Mississippi, Chevron’s Pascagoula plant processes Venezuelan oil, and PBF Energy handles shipments in Delaware. Venezuelan crude has also displaced Mexican supplies as the primary Latin‑American feedstock for Texas and Louisiana refineries.
Entities
Citgo · Debnil Chowdhury · Texas · Valero · Venezuela
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Texas refineries can process about 3.6 million barrels per day of heavy crude, enabling them to handle Venezuelan oil. eldiario.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Louisiana received 39% of the Venezuelan crude imports, while Mississippi received 14% and Delaware 4%. eldiario.com · sanangelolive.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Citgo, Valero, Marathon Petroleum and Phillips 66 are the main Texas companies receiving Venezuelan crude. eldiario.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Texas received 43% of the Venezuelan crude imported to the United States. eldiario.com · sanangelolive.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Chevron’s Pascagoula refinery in Mississippi processes Venezuelan crude. eldiario.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] U.S. forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January and he was taken to a New York jail. sanangelolive.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] PBF Energy in Delaware receives Venezuelan crude shipments. eldiario.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] U.S. imports of Venezuelan crude rose from about 110,000 barrels per day in January to roughly 575,000 barrels per day in June. sanangelolive.com