US operable atmospheric distillation capacity stood at 18.2 million barrels per calendar day on January 1, 2026, a drop of more than 250,000 barrels per calendar day, roughly 1%, from the same date in 2025. The figure comes from the annual refinery capacity report published by the US Energy Information Administration.

The count of operable refineries fell to 130, two fewer than the previous year. LyondellBasell closed its 263,776 barrel per calendar day refinery in Houston in March 2025, and Phillips 66 closed its 138,700 barrel per calendar day plant in Los Angeles in October 2025. Together the two shutdowns removed about 400,000 barrels per day of operable capacity, offset in part by small gains at other sites.

Regional effects vary sharply. The Phillips 66 Los Angeles closure represents a 5% reduction in refining capacity across the West Coast, where limited pipeline capacity from Gulf Coast refining hubs magnifies the effect on regional fuel availability. The larger Houston shutdown cut 3% of Gulf Coast regional capacity, a region that produces more fuel than it consumes, and total Gulf Coast capacity declined by less than 2% for the year.

More capacity has since left the system. Valero's 145,000 barrel per day Benicia refinery appeared in the report because it was operating on January 1, 2026, though the plant has since stopped refining and EIA removed its capacity from monthly estimates as of March 2026.

Motiva's Port Arthur refinery remains the largest US plant on a calendar day basis at 656,000 barrels per calendar day. Marathon's Galveston Bay refinery holds the top spot on a stream day basis at 678,000 barrels per stream day. Chevron moved ahead of PBF Energy to become the fifth-largest US refiner. Capacity changes made after January 1 fall outside the report.

Source: US Energy Information Administration - https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67807