ExxonMobil has successfully completed the Baton Rogue Refinery Integrated Competitiveness Suite (BRRIC), a comprehensive three-year, $230.5 million modernization initiative aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of its longstanding North Baton Rouge refinery in Louisiana.
ExxonMobil finishes $230M Baton Rouge refinery upgrade
The ExxonMobil facility in Baton Rouge
This facility, one of the world’s largest refineries, has evolved since its inception in 1909 to meet the demands of a dynamic global energy market. Unveiled in June 2021, the BRRIC suite underscores ExxonMobil’s commitment to technological advancement, job creation and economic development in Louisiana and local communities.
ExxonMobil has reported that the construction of these projects generated sales taxes worth $9.9 million, and it is expected that the direct property tax revenue will go up to $51.3 million over the course of the next 40 years. In line with its dedication to community support, ExxonMobil provided supplier opportunities specifically for North Baton Rouge businesses, directing $17.5 million to small and diverse enterprises, including $1.7 million to businesses in the local area. Impressively, 25% of these businesses are small, 15% are Black-owned and 49% are woman-owned, reflecting Exxon-Mobil’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity.
As part of the project, the largest lift was completed in the site’s history at 1.2 million pounds, using one of the largest cranes in the world. The BRRIC suite positions the site to attract future refinery and chemical investment.
The completion of the refinery brings along with it the introduction of innovative technology, employment opportunities and procurement that will have a significant economic impact.
Jobs and procurement
During peak construction of the BRRIC projects, more than 600 workers were required onsite, and all the existing engineer, operator and technician jobs at the refinery were preserved. Additionally, as many as 17 graduates of the North Baton Rouge Industrial Training Initiative (NBRITI) were hired as full-time employees. As a result of the BRRIC investment, the NBRITI program was expanded to enable ExxonMobil to directly hire millwright and instrumentation graduates to strengthen the workforce pipeline for years to come. NBRITI provides no-cost, fast-tracked industrial craft training in electrical, instrumentation, millwright, pipefitting and welding for community residents.
New technology
The BRRIC suite has allowed the extraction of carbon solids from crude oil, expanding downstream processing capabilities. According to a company statement, this technology enables ExxonMobil to process more crudes from around the world, including domestic crudes from Canada and the Permian Basin.
In addition, the company has invested in two new technologies to improve the efficiency and safety of its facilities. The first technology is the decoking water valve, a high-pressure water valve that removes the coke product from the 100-foot-tall, 20-foot-wide vessel. The second technology consisted of coke drum slide valves that automate the "unheading" process. This consists of 20-foot-wide vessels opening up several times per day to remove the coke product, with the bottom valve alone weighing approximately 70,000 pounds. Historically, this has been a manual process. With this new investment, ExxonMobil can complete the process digitally with the push of a button, which considerably enhances the safety and efficiency of its facilities.
