A newly expanded Southeast Texas oil refinery now operates at full capacity, making it the world's largest.
Shell Oil spokeswoman Kayla Macke tells the Beaumont Enterprise the Motiva Port Arthur Refinery is processing 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day -- more than 25 million gallons -- making it the world's largest refinery.
Motiva is a joint venture of Shell Oil Co. and Saudi Refining Inc., a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco. The $10 billion expansion was formally commissioned early last summer, but a microscopic crack required repair before the new crude oil unit could become fully functional.
Motiva officials have said the plant's annual production would be sufficient to meet the gasoline needs of France, Italy and Scandinavia combined. However, the production is for the United States.