Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 74F. ESE winds shifting to NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..
Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 74F. ESE winds shifting to NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
A renewable products refinery in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The refinery proposed in Victoria County will be carbon neutral, according to public records.
A renewable products refinery in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The refinery proposed in Victoria County will be carbon neutral, according to public records.
A $5.6 billion proposed oil refinery project in Bloomington has some Victoria County officials optimistic about the planned facility's potential to help the community prosper.
Officials with the Victoria County Commissioners Court, Bloomington Independent School District and Port of Victoria are welcoming the project and anticipating benefits to the Bloomington community.
Southern Rock Energy Partners, a company based in El Campo, plans to construct the first new large oil refinery in the U.S. in over 40 years. Construction is slated to begin next year, with operations going live in 2025, according to a tax break application. The plant will be managed by Prairie Energy Partners, a subsidiary of Southern Rock.
The planned refinery is expected to bring in over 400 jobs to Bloomington, according to tax documents from the local school district. Around 250,000 barrels of oil per day are expected to be processed once the refinery reaches full capacity.
Victoria County Judge Ben Zeller said he is interested in following the facility's progress in the coming months and years.
"We'd be eager to accommodate this project," Zeller said. "It is in the preliminary stages, but I hope (Southern Rock) continues to see Victoria County as a feasible and favorable location."
When refining crude oil into gasoline, Southern Rock plans to use alternative methods meant to cut down on carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.
“Blue hydrogen would be consumed in the process, heating units producing warm water vapor instead of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulfur oxide,” according to a tax document.
Blue hydrogen is an element resulting from the mixture of natural gas and steam.
Mark Anglin, superintendent of Bloomington's school district, which helped Southern Rock finalize a 10-year property tax abatement in the community, said he is looking forward to welcoming a "carbon neutral" refinery.
"This would be a win for us," he said.
The revenue earned from the refinery's property taxes next year and beyond would benefit Bloomington Independent School District financially, Anglin said. The district collected $7.1 million in tax revenue during the 2021-22 school year, which was $300,000 less than initially projected.
"Average daily attendance factors in to the amount of money a district receives," Anglin said. "We had 716 students last year and we expected to have 740."
If the Bloomington refinery plans become reality, the local school district might use its new revenue source to increase its monthly operating budget, supporting its academic programs and growing its welding, culinary arts and agriculture programs.
Anglin said he heard the proposed refinery would be near the Victoria Barge Canal.
Port of Victoria Chairman Robby Burdge declined to comment on the exact location and other matters regarding the refinery, as negotiations with Southern Rock are still ongoing, he said.
"Any solid economic project in the are or at the port is always welcome," Burdge said in a statement. "Its sustainable impact ensures our community will continue to thrive."
Leo Bertucci is a Report for America corps member who covers energy and environment for the Victoria Advocate.
Before moving to the Crossroads, Leo Bertucci studied journalism and political science at Western Kentucky University.
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Your comment has been submitted.
There was a problem reporting this.
Transparency. Your full name is required. Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article. And receive photos, videos of what you see. Don’t be a troll. Don’t be a troll. Don’t post inflammatory or off-topic messages, or personal attacks.
Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments.
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. Please use the button below to manage your account.
To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here.
Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
Please purchase a subscription to continue reading.
Your current subscription does not provide access to this content.
To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here.
Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code.
Promotional Rates were found for your code.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.