It's All About The RINS, No Doubt -- July 1, 2017

From biomassmagazine:

Tesoro oil refinery in Dickinson, North Dakota, has plans to co-process renewable feedstock along with regionally sourced Bakken crude oil to produce a 5 percent renewable diesel blend. Construction is planned to begin in October with start-up expected in December. 

Some data points:

• Tesoro acquired the Dakota Prairie Refinery in Dickinson last year
• capacity: can refine 20,000 bbls per day
• renewable feedstock: regionally sources soybean oil and distillers corn oil from ethanol plants
• Tesoro has applied for a $500,00 grant through the NDIC
• capacity: up to 16,800 gallons per day of renewable feedstock
• the total cost of the project: $3.5 million

It's all about the RINS:

As an obligated party under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, Tesoro indicated the project’s motivation is the increased environmental value of renewable diesel under the RFS.

“The co-processed renewable diesel will generate about 1.7 D5 RINs per gallon,” the refiner stated. “The current market value of a RIN is approximately $1 per RIN.”

The company said the results of this project will help determine the potential for a larger future renewable project at the Tesoro Dickinson Refinery.

Reminder: Tesoro will change its name to Andeavor on August 1, 2017.