Exxonmobil's Beaumont Refinery
is officially one of the largest in the count. Now a giant expansion project kn as Blade is officially online. ExxonMobil tells 12 news that wl let us in to tour the facility today as they powered it up, 12 news reporter Gloria Walker joined us in studio. Gloria, what were you
able to find out during your sneak peak inside t? Leticia it would I was
given a very rare glance inside this massive faci. The project took four
years to complete, and now that it's open, 50 employees will oversee
operations. Now this expansion increases Exxonmobil's light crude refinig capacity by more than 65%. Coves and hard hats are 12
news team was given rare access inside
the Beaumont light atmospheric distillation expans, better known as blade ground, back in 2019 for this phenomenal $2 billion project. And even through a pandemic, we continue to invest in this project when many were actually, I say, stepping back, we saw the different phases
to make diesel and gasoline from separation techno, reforming or cracking technolog. And treatment plant manager Rosina Dendy explains how crude oil goes through their machines. We're bringing into our atmosphc tower here and then we boil it o where at different, I say boilig points material comes off of it. And so when we do after that is we hydrotreated. This is 250,000 tons of heavy machinery that hes produce more diesel and gasoline fuel that helps us get through e of our everyday needs. Our kidst to school on the school buses and that they're able to use. The diesel how do I Amazon packs get to our homes with
the trucks that actually deliver it there as wes food to the grocery
stores that
the 18 Wheelers use. Diesel
as well as
this new facility started its
operation slowly. Today safety is still on top of minds for their team members at the forest and foremost of everything that we do. Our Emergency response team is has already drilled on this uni. They simulated different scenarios of emergencies. And as they again slowly
ramp up power, the facility is expected to be at full capacity by March 31st in studio Glory Walker, 12 new.