Lillian Riojas, director of media relations and communications for Valero, said some local residents have some questions about the Port Arthur refinery for their $900 million proposed new coker project and expansion. So the company held a community meeting and information forum Tuesday night at the Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center at Lamar State College Port Arthur.

Riojas said this will be the second coker unit at the refinery after it’s built and a sulfur recovery unit will be added.

“People can learn and speak to people who can answer their questions and meet the people of Valero,” Riojas said. “The unit could be operational in 2021. It will have a positive impact on Port Arthur. At the peak of construction 1,500 people will be employed. We try to use local vendors as much as possible. Forty permanent jobs will be created. We’re reinvesting and giving back to the community.”

Some subjects covered at the meeting included:

• Project overview, safety and environmental features of the coker unit
• Project opportunities and benefits for Port Arthur
• Overview of what a refinery does and the products Valero makes
• Overview on their involvement in the community
• Activities and hands-on science demonstrations for children

Vice President and General Manager of Valero Port Arthur Greg Gentry addressed the Port Arthur ISD board of trustees last summer about a possible new operating facility within the plant under Chapter 313 agreement.

“It would be an expansion of values and bring more tax base to the city, county, drainage and district,” Gentry said. “And we’d hire more employees for the operating facility.”

Gentry said the additional workers the expansion would bring would result in more money being spent in Port Arthur because they would stay in local hotels, eat at local restaurants and generally spend more money in the area.

“We work very hard to hire Port Arthur workers,” Gentry said. However, he added that many workers who work in the city for two to three years tend not to stay in the area long after.

A company brochure read the project will result in about a 20 percent increase in overall capacity for the refinery.

“The upgrade to existing equipment will help produce more clean-burning fuel products and maximize every barrel of crude in the most efficient way in order to provide more fuel products,” it read.

The economic impact will be:

• More than 800 employees
• Approximately $140 million in annual payroll and benefits
• About $18 million in annual property taxes and fees
• $143 million in local spending with the City of Port Arthur Local Business Enterprise vendors since 2015

The new coker unit, additionally, will produce diesel and the fuel that is required for ships.

Kimberly Palacios, chemical engineer, said she was giving “Refinery 101” demonstrations that included an overview of the Port Arthur refinery, the history of the plant, what they make and how they make the products.

She added that petroleum is used to make other products beyond fuel and oil.

“You can make lots of products with the byproducts,” she said.

Palacios said being at the community meeting was “kind of cool” and “different.”

“It’s not a typical day in the office,” she said.

There were also vendors seeking bids for the construction project.

Emily Ring of Spindletop Safety and Stan Smith of Brock Services wanted to know more information about the coker unit to make a bid and get on the contractors’ list.

“Business has been real good for us,” Smith said. “It’s a busy time for the area.”