PBF Energy Inc. on Oct. 29 announced the St. Bernard Renewables facility produced approximately 15,400 barrels per day of renewable diesel during the third quarter. Production is expected to expand slightly during the final quarter of the year.
The SBR biorefinery is co-located at PBF Energy’s Chalmette oil refinery in Louisiana. The 320 MMgy facility primarily produces renewable diesel and is jointly owned by PBF Energy and Eni Sustainable Mobility Spa. PBF and Eni closed on the 50-50 partnership in St. Bernard Renewables in mid-2023.
The SBR facility’s renewable diesel unit began operations in June 2023, and a feedstock pretreatment unit was brought online the following month. Eni In October 2024 announced an agreement to sell a 25% stake in its Enilive business to U.K. based KKR. Eni’s ownership share in SBR is among the assets held by its Enilive business.
During a third quarter earnings call, Joseph Marino, chief financial officer at PBF Energy, noted the 15,400 barrels per day of renewable diesel production reported for the third quarter was “somewhat below guidance, driven by broader market conditions in the renewable fuel space.”
“Throughout the year, we’ve seen impacts from tariffs cascade through the market and the policy landscape continue to shift, adding uncertainty and volatility to the business,” he said.
Matthew Lucey, president and CEO of PBF Energy, explained that the Biden administration was focused on reducing the carbon intensity of fuels, while the current Trump administration is more focused on increasing soybean production and use. “That change is more than a subtle one, and its going to put a number of assets in a pickle,” he said. When coupled with new regulations that that limit eligibility for the 45Z clean fuel production credit to fuels derived from feedstocks produced in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, “there is a lot to play out,” he indicated, expressing concern over the potential for higher renewable identification number (RIN) prices. “It’s no doubt been a difficult market, but our location and the capabilities we have at our plant—I think—sets us apart from a number of other participants,” Lucey added.
Moving into the fourth quarter of 2025, PBF Energy expects production at SBR to expand, averaging approximately 16,000 to 18,000 barrels per day.
