OREANDA-NEWS. Flint Hills Resources Corpus Christi has begun the construction phase of a project that will enable its West refinery to process more domestic crude into transportation fuels. This project, named Project Eagle Ford, is expected to cost around USD 600 million, require around 2,000 contractors and be completed in 36 months.

In May, Flint Hills Resources received permits for the project from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Internal board approval was received in September.

"We are excited to begin this phase of the project," said Valerie Pompa, vice president for Flint Hills Resources Corpus Christi, LLC. "In addition to being able to process more domestic crude this project will also enable us to reduce our criteria air emissions by using best available control technologies and other emission reduction strategies. It's an exciting time here in Corpus Christi and we are proud to be a part of the continued growth."

Current capacity of the West refinery is about 230,000 barrels per day. After the project is complete, it will have the capability to process 100 percent domestic crude.

Flint Hills Resources has been a part of Coastal Bend since 1980. It owns and operates two refineries in Corpus Christi (East & West refineries) with a combined total capacity of around 300,000 barrels per day, and a crude oil terminal in Ingleside.

A subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc. purchased the West refinery from Sun Oil Company in 1981, and it has been owned and operated by Koch affiliates since that time. The plant has operated under the name of Flint Hills Resources since 2002. Today, the West refinery has a capacity of about 230,000 barrels per day of crude oil and supplies fuels for major Texas markets such as San Antonio, Austin and the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. In addition, the plant produces various commodity chemicals that are important building blocks for a variety of household products. Flint Hills Resources employs about 1,300 people in the Coastal Bend, and is the largest taxpayer in Nueces County. Over the past decade, the company has contributed more than USD 8 million to area nonprofits aimed at improving education, the environment and the quality of life in communities.

Flint Hills Resources, LLC, through its subsidiaries, is an industry leader in refining, chemicals and grain processing, with operations primarily in Texas and the Midwest. Its manufacturing capability is built upon six decades of refining experience, and the company has expanded its operations through capital projects and acquisitions worth more than USD 8.6 billion since 2002. Flint Hills Resources' subsidiaries produce and market gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, ethanol, biodiesel, liquefied natural gas, olefins, polymers, intermediate chemicals, as well as base oils, corn oil and dried distillers grain.