The Board of Directors of Wynnewood Refinery, Inc. has approved a $180 million capital investment to expand Sustainable Aviation Fuel production capacity by approximately 40 percent. The expansion, which will involve the construction of a second HEFA reactor train and associated hydrogen generation capacity, is expected to reach mechanical completion in mid-2026 with full commercial production by Q4 2026.
This investment represents the single largest capital allocation in Wynnewood's 50-year history and underscores the company's strategic commitment to positioning renewable fuels as a core business line — not a side project or a compliance exercise.
Why SAF, Why Now
Global aviation accounts for approximately 2.5 percent of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, and with air travel demand projected to double by 2050, the industry faces an urgent decarbonization challenge. Unlike ground transportation, which can increasingly electrify, long-haul aviation has no viable battery-electric alternative on any commercially relevant timeline. That makes SAF — a drop-in replacement for conventional jet fuel — the only scalable pathway to materially reduce aviation emissions in the next two decades.
Regulatory pressure is intensifying. The International Civil Aviation Organization's CORSIA framework requires airlines to offset or reduce emissions on international routes starting in 2024. The European Union's ReFuelEU Aviation mandate will require 2 percent SAF blending by 2026, rising to 70 percent by 2050. In the United States, the Inflation Reduction Act's SAF tax credits provide $1.25 to $1.75 per gallon in production incentives through 2027.
The Engineering Plan
The expansion will add a second HEFA reactor train operating in parallel with the existing SAF production unit. A new hydrogen generation facility — a steam methane reformer with carbon capture readiness — will provide the additional hydrogen required for the hydrotreating process. Feedstock flexibility is a key design parameter: the new reactor will be capable of processing a wider range of renewable feedstocks including used cooking oil, animal fats, and distillers corn oil.
Engineering, procurement, and construction will be managed by a tier-one EPC contractor with significant refinery experience. The project is expected to create approximately 350 construction jobs during peak build activity and 25 permanent operational positions.
Market Position
Upon completion, Wynnewood will be among the top five domestic SAF producers by volume — a significant achievement for a company that produced its first certified SAF batch less than three years ago. The expanded capacity will be allocated primarily through long-term offtake agreements with major commercial airlines, providing supply certainty for carriers committed to meaningful, near-term emissions reductions.
Wynnewood's SAF is certified under ASTM D7566 Annex A2 and qualifies as a CORSIA-eligible fuel, making it suitable for airlines seeking to meet both domestic and international regulatory requirements.