CVR Energy Inc. on April 30 confirmed that the feedstock pretreatment unit (PTU) at the Wynnewood biorefinery in Oklahoma has begun operations. The company also continues to evaluate the development of two proposed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects. 

Company officials discussed both the existing Wynnewood renewable diesel project and CVR Energy’s plans to expand into SAF production during a first quarter earnings call, held April 30.

According to CVR Energy, the renewable diesel unit at the Wynnewood refinery processed approximately 6.9 million gallons of vegetable oil throughput during the first quarter, down from 22.4 million gallons during the same period of 2023. The company primarily attributed the decrease to a catalyst change during the first quarter of this year. 

In February 2024, the company announced that the PTU at the Wynnewood facility was mechanically complete. CVR Energy CEO David Lamp confirmed that the PTU began operations during the first quarter and is ramping up operations during the second quarter. The PTU is expected to result in improvements in renewable product yields, catalyst life and the resulting economics, Lamp explained. 

CVR Energy completed conversion of the Wynnewood renewable diesel unit in 2022. The unit currently has the capacity to process 100 MMgy of feedstock, producing renewable diesel and renewable naphtha. The company is also considering plans to convert the Wynnewood renewable diesel unit to SAF and develop additional SAF capacity at the company’s Coffeyville refinery in Kansas. 

Lamp said CVR Energy is continuing to explore opportunities in the renewables space and is currently in discussions related to the potential conversion of the Wynnewood renewable diesel unit to up to 100% SAF. The company is also considering a larger potential project at Coffeyville and expects to have the project scope, cost and development plan ready to take to the market by the end of the year. CVR Energy previously indicated that the Coffeyville project could include the development of up to 500 MMgy of renewables capacity, including up to 250 MMgy of SAF capacity. 

Lamp also briefly discussed a fire that occurred at the Wynnewood refinery during the final weekend of April. He said the fire, which occurred in one of the facility’s process areas, appears to have been caused by lightening associated with a severe weather event that occurred in the area. No employees or contractors were injured during the event and the company is in the beginning process of restarting a portion of the refinery. Lamp said work is underway to assess the extent of the damage and the company plans to provide additional details once they are available.