en.Wedoany.com Reported - US refineries are operating at near-full capacity, with strong profits and stable fuel demand prompting processors to delay maintenance and boost output, leading to one of the lightest maintenance seasons in years for the industry.

Data from consulting firm Energy Aspects shows that from January to May, refiners idled an average of 470,000 barrels per day of processing capacity, compared to 700,000 barrels per day in the same period last year and 900,000 barrels per day in 2024. This low-maintenance trend is expected to continue.

Motiva Enterprises LLC has postponed a major maintenance project at its Port Arthur refinery on the Texas Gulf Coast by about a year to capitalize on current strong product margins. According to sources familiar with the matter, the project involves an overhaul of the largest crude distillation unit, with related refurbishment work now delayed until the fall of 2027.

Raul Calzada, a refinery analyst at Energy Aspects' Houston office, said there is very little planned maintenance in the second half of the year, and demand for refined products will remain high, requiring refiners to maintain high utilization rates for the rest of the year. He noted that the more refiners delay maintenance while operating near full capacity, the greater the risk of unplanned shutdowns due to equipment failures. On the Gulf Coast, unplanned outages during the spring 2026 maintenance season averaged 170,000 barrels per day of lost capacity, compared to 300,000 barrels per day in 2025.

Industry insiders analyze that the accelerating pace of US refining is not only to meet domestic demand but also because US diesel and jet fuel exports remain strong. The de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to disrupt global energy flows, making it difficult for Asian refiners to obtain the crude oil needed for their capacity. Meanwhile, the US summer driving season has just begun, and domestic demand is expected to remain high. Data from the US Department of Energy shows that refinery utilization has been hovering near 95%, which is considered effectively full capacity, while total US gasoline inventories are at multi-year seasonal lows.

Analysts at Energy Aspects noted in a recent report that unless prices rise again, any decline in demand could be slow and persistent, potentially leading to tighter product supply-demand balances.

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