The 120,000 barrel per day (bpd) Detroit refinery has been upgraded to increase its heavy oil processing capacity for a cost of $2.2bn.
Under the four year expansion project, the company has upgraded the processing capacity to 100,000 bpd which is said to be five times the refinery’s capacity before the expansion project was taken up.
Marathon Petroleum spokesman Shane Pochard was quoted by Dow Jones as saying that, "Most all of the units have been brought back online and are producing finished products."
The company’s Midwest refineries have an increased approach to crude oil produced in the Midcontinent area of US where technology has resulted in enhanced production.
Marathon and other refiners in the region are improving their profit margins by purchasing the discounted oil and turning it into fuels to be sold at higher prices.
The company’s 7% of the total crude output is expected to come from Western Canada or Gulf Coast to add about $350m to its annual earnings.
