A refinery in British Columbia
Hydrocarbon Processing Refining Databook 2025: Americas
The US and Canada are boosting capacity builds for renewable diesel and biofuels, while Central and South American countries are investing heavily to upgrade and expand their domestic refining sectors
At 18.4m b/d, the US has the second-largest refining capacity in the world. Two primary refining trends—related to capex—are ongoing in the region: increased capacity builds for renewable diesel and increased capacity builds for biofuel production, primarily sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). US production of SAF increased from 2,000b/d to nearly 30,000b/d in 2024. Several additional SAF projects are under development. These projects are the result of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Renewable Fuel Standard, and federal and state tax credits and incentives. The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in 2022, calls for US SAF production to reach 3b gal/yr by 2030 and up to 35b gal/yr
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
