U.S. refining capacity falls to its lowest level since May 2016 12/10/2020 As of September 1 (the latest data available), the United States had 18.4 MMbpd of petroleum refining capacity, also known as operable atmospheric crude oil distillation capacity. U.S. refining capacity had reached a record high of nearly 19 MMbpd earlier this year, but several refineries have closed since then, and capacity fell to the lowest level since May 2016. Operable refinery capacity is the amount of capacity that is in operation or could be brought into production within 90 days. Earlier this year, operable refinery capacity declined by 335,000 bpd from April to May after the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery in Pennsylvania closed. Operable capacity fell another 19,000 bpd in June when Marathon’s refinery in Dickinson, North Dakota, closed to be converted to a renewable diesel plant.