The West Coast, including California, Washington, and Oregon, operates a smaller number of refineries, serving distinct regional markets with strict environmental specifications. Refinery Runs and Utilization Rates Quantity alone does not tell the full story; the activity level of these facilities is equally important.
US Oil Refineries Total Count 2024
Refinery runs—the actual processing of crude oil—fluctuate with global oil prices, seasonal demand, and maintenance schedules. These installations are not uniform; they vary dramatically in size, ranging from small coastal units processing a few thousand barrels per day to massive integrated complexes handling over 600,000 barrels daily.
The Gulf Coast region, encompassing states like Texas and Louisiana, dominates with the highest concentration of large-scale facilities, leveraging proximity to both domestic offshore drilling and imported crude via deep-water ports. Furthermore, the closure of refineries in regions like the Northeast and the permanent idling of units in states like Ohio reflect a permanent shift in the geographic center of gravity for US oil processing.
US Oil Refineries Total Count 2024
The concentration of this capacity is not random, but is tied to historical port access, crude oil production regions, and major consumption hubs. The composition of crude oil feeds processed has also shifted, moving from light, sweet crude to heavier, sour crude from sources like Canadian oil sands and tight US formations.
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