The Valero Port Arthur Refinery was commissioned in 1901 and has had many process additions and improvements throughout its history (see pg. 38). In 2001, nearly $850 million was invested in a delayed coker and hydrocracker to enable the plant to run heavy, sour crude as shown on the September 2012 cover of HP. Other investments include the recent expansion of the coker to 95,000 bpd from 85,000 bpd. The most recent expansion of the crude and vacuum units has increased the refinery’s ability to process lower-cost, heavy sour crude oil and increased throughput capacity to 310,000 bpd. The refinery is strategically located on the Texas Gulf Coast, approximately 90 miles east of Houston. The refinery’s location accommodates its extensive logistics system, which includes access to Gulf Coast water-borne crude oil via the refinery docks or through the Nederland, Texas, terminals of Sun or Oil Tanking. The milestones of this refinery are: