Marathon starts up phase 1 of Martinez conversion project

Marathon Petroleum Corp. has announced that the first phase of its renewable diesel conversion project at its Martinez refinery in California has commenced startup activities and is on track to be operating at full nameplate capacity of 260 MMgy by the end of the first quarter of 2023.

Feedstock pretreatment capabilities are expected to come online during the second half of this year and the facility is expected to be capable of producing 730 MMgy by the end of 2023, according to statements made by Marathon CEO Mike Hennigan during a fourth quarter 2022 earnings call held Jan. 31.

Hennigan also discussed operations at Marathon’s 180 MMgy renewable diesel project in Dickinson, North Dakota, which began operating at full capacity in mid-2021. He said the company has optimized operations at the Dickinson facility to allow the use of more advantaged feedstocks, lowering the carbon intensity (CI) of the fuel produced at the plant.