ExxonMobil has begun operations at its new refinery unit in Antwerp , Belgium which has the capacity to produce one barrel per day , converting heavy , higher - sulphur residual oils into fuels for marine transportation . The company 's expansion is part of a strategy to cover northwest Europe 's growing demand for clean transportation fuels , as companies make changes to comply with the International Maritime industry 's low - sulphur fuel requirements from 2020 . The US company has invested $ 2bn in its Antwerp facility over the last decade to keep up with technological and regulatory changes .
ExxonMobil has begun operations at its new refinery unit in Antwerp, Belgium which has the capacity to produce 50,000 barrel per day, converting heavy, higher-sulphur residual oils into fuels for marine transportation. The refinery's expansion is part of a push to cover northwest Europe's growing demand for clean transportation fuels, as companies make changes to comply with the International Maritime Organization's low-sulphur fuel requirements from 2020. The US company has invested $2bn in its Antwerp facility over the last decade to keep up with technological and regulatory changes.