President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that a massive new oil refinery will be built at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, marking what supporters say is the first major refinery project in the United States in nearly half a century.
Trump revealed the plan on March 10, 2026, describing it as a “historic $300 billion deal — the biggest in U.S. history.” The project will be developed by America First Refining with investment from India’s Reliance Industries, the largest privately held energy company in that country.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump framed the development as a signature achievement of his economic and energy agenda, arguing that regulatory reforms and tax cuts have begun drawing large-scale industrial investment back to the United States.
According to Trump, the refinery will “fuel U.S. markets, strengthen our national security, boost American energy production, deliver billions of dollars in economic impact,” while also becoming “the cleanest refinery in the world.”
The facility is expected to process American light crude and produce refined fuels including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Trump said the project will generate thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of permanent positions while strengthening U.S. export capacity and bringing new economic activity to South Texas, noted Fox News.
Plans for a refinery at the Brownsville site predate Trump’s announcement. In June 2024, Element Fuels Holdings — a Dallas-area startup — disclosed that it had secured permits and completed site preparation for a refinery capable of processing roughly 160,000 barrels of crude oil per day. At that time, the project’s cost was estimated between $3 billion and $4 billion.
Since then, Element Fuels’ website has redirected to America First Refining, which is now leading the project. Company officials say the venture includes a binding 20-year offtake agreement and secured capital commitments. Groundbreaking is expected during the second quarter of 2026, possibly as early as April, according to local reports.
The refinery complex will occupy more than 240 acres within the Port of Brownsville, a deepwater port and designated foreign trade zone near the U.S.–Mexico border. Its location provides direct access to crude from the Permian Basin as well as efficient shipping routes for refined products entering global markets.
Local leaders in Brownsville have welcomed the announcement, pointing to the economic impact the project could bring to the region. Officials estimate the development will create roughly 2,000 construction jobs and more than 300 permanent operational positions, many expected to offer competitive wages. The refinery would also generate substantial property tax revenue for local governments.
Developers say the facility will incorporate advanced refining technologies designed to reduce emissions and improve efficiency while processing American shale crude into finished fuels.
Public details about financing, construction timelines, and the project’s full ownership structure remain limited. Like any large energy facility, the refinery will still be subject to federal and state regulatory review and environmental oversight as development proceeds.
If completed, the Brownsville facility would represent one of the most significant expansions of U.S. refining capacity in decades, at a time when global energy markets remain under pressure and domestic production continues to reshape the American energy landscape.
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