When people think of Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, they usually picture sand, seafood, and summer weekends.
But this week, Pascagoula is in the national spotlight for something just as important — energy.
According to a recent report from FOX Business, Chevron’s flagship refinery in Pascagoula, Mississippi is now processing its first shipment of Venezuelan crude since the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas last month. The oil — described as heavy, tar-like crude — is being refined into products Americans rely on every day, including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
Chevron executive Andy Walz, President of Downstream, Midstream & Chemicals, shared that the shift is expected to benefit both Venezuelan citizens and American consumers.
“We’ve been [in Venezuela] for a long time, and it looks like things are starting to go better for both the Venezuelan people and… the American people too,” Walz told FOX Business in an exclusive interview.
Walz explained that as more oil flows into facilities like Pascagoula, it can help drive costs down. He also emphasized that Venezuelan oil is closer and often cheaper, and that it helps Gulf Coast refineries operate the way they were designed to run.
FOX Business correspondent Lauren Simonetti was granted exclusive access inside Chevron’s Pascagoula facility, reporting near the distillation units where the Venezuelan crude — which arrived in recent weeks — is now being processed. Walz’s comments are among the first public acknowledgments from Chevron confirming that Venezuelan crude is being refined in the U.S. under the company’s renewed sanctioned operations.
Right now, the Pascagoula refinery is processing about 50,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan crude. Chevron has also indicated it could potentially handle another 100,000 barrels per day across its U.S. system as additional shipments arrive.
Pascagoula is one of only a limited number of Gulf Coast facilities capable of processing heavy sour crude like Venezuela’s, alongside complex refineries in New Orleans, Lake Charles, Port Arthur, Houston, and Corpus Christi.
The Pascagoula refinery also has a key advantage: Venezuelan oil can come directly into its harbor, eliminating the need for offshore pipelines or transferring cargo to smaller ships.
“This refinery runs 300,000 barrels a day,” Walz said, pointing out that constant shipments are required — and that having the harbor close by makes the entire system more efficient.
Chevron CEO Mike Wirth has also confirmed the company is expanding its Venezuelan operations, highlighting Chevron’s long-standing presence there and growth in output under its current sanctioned authorization.
Pascagoula has long been an energy powerhouse, and Chevron’s refinery remains one of the strongest examples of Mississippi’s role in keeping America moving.
Read the FOX Business report here:
https://www.foxbusiness.com/media/inside-chevron-flagship-refinery-tapping-into-venezuelan-crude-after-maduros-capture
