BATON ROUGE - PBF Chalmette Refinery Manager Steven Krynski announced Thursday that the company is considering the possible conversion of an idled refinery unit into a renewable diesel production complex. 

The refinery’s parent company, PBF Energy, would make a $550 million capital investment to retrofit a hydrocracker unit – out of operation since 2010 – with new technology to accommodate renewable diesel production. 

The project would also include the development of a pretreatment unit that would allow Chalmette Refining to create non-fossil feedstocks from soybean oil, corn oil, and other biogenically derived fats and oils.

The project would allow Chalmette Refining to create 20 new direct jobs at an average annual salary of $70,000, plus benefits. 

Louisiana Economic Development estimates the plan would result in 90 new indirect jobs, for a total of 110 new jobs for St. Bernard Parish and the Southeast Region. 

The project is expected to support 200 construction jobs in addition to enabling Chalmette Refining – the largest private employer in St. Bernard Parish – to retain 516 existing jobs at the refinery.

PBF Energy and its potential partners are considering Chalmette Refining along with other facilities for the renewable diesel project, and it expects to make a final investment decision after local taxing bodies in St. Bernard Parish consider the project. 

PBF is one of the largest independent refining companies in the U.S. In addition to its Louisiana facility, PBF operates two refineries in California and one each in Ohio, Delaware and New Jersey.

The Chalmette Refinery was constructed in 1915 and became a part of the PBF Energy family in 2015. The refinery is the No. 1 private employer, No. 1 taxpayer and largest revenue-generating asset in St. Bernard Parish. With more than 500 employees, the refinery is committed to hiring and training residents, demonstrating the company’s dedication to its host community. PBF is committed to continuing investing in its employees, the facility and local residents, and has funded more than $355.5 million worth of projects at the facility since acquiring the facility. 

For more information, visit chalmetterefining.com and pbfenergy.com.