America First Refining plans first new U.S. refinery in 50 years, backed by investment and 20-year shale oil offtake deal.
America First Refining (AFR) has announced a major development in the United States energy sector: plans to construct the country’s first newly built oil refinery in roughly 50 years. The project will be established at the Port of Brownsville, positioning it strategically for both domestic supply and international energy markets. Company officials attribute the project’s momentum to the energy policy framework promoted by Donald J. Trump, which emphasized increased domestic production and investment in U.S. energy infrastructure.
Earlier this year, AFR secured a substantial financial boost, receiving a nine-figure investment from a global energy supermajor. The funding valued the company at a ten-figure level and was accompanied by a binding 20-year offtake agreement with the same partner. Under this agreement, the supermajor will commit to purchasing, processing, and distributing energy products derived exclusively from U.S.-produced shale oil. The company plans to officially begin construction of the refinery during the second quarter of 2026.
According to AFR’s founder and chairman John V. Calce, the project marks a turning point for domestic energy production. He emphasized that the refinery will be specifically engineered to process American shale oil, something that existing facilities were not originally designed for. Calce added that the project will create thousands of jobs while ensuring more U.S.-produced crude is refined domestically rather than exported.
AFR President Trey Griggs noted that the United States currently produces abundant volumes of light shale oil but lacks sufficient refining capacity capable of efficiently processing it. By constructing the refinery at Brownsville’s deep-water port, the company intends to expand U.S. refining capacity while strengthening the country’s energy supply chain and supporting regional economic growth through high-paying jobs.
Former White House official Nick Ayers, who is set to become vice chairman of AFR, said investor confidence in U.S. refinery construction had been low for many years. However, he argued that recent policy direction and leadership have renewed confidence in large-scale domestic energy investments. Ayers described the refinery as a long-term investment in American workers, domestic energy production, and the country’s broader economic stability.
The newly signed agreement is expected to become one of the largest energy transactions in U.S. history. AFR will purchase and process approximately 1.2 billion barrels of American light shale oil, representing an estimated value of $125 billion. The refinery will also produce roughly 50 billion gallons of refined petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, valued at around $175 billion. Together, these activities are projected to improve the U.S. trade balance by nearly $300 billion.
The refinery will be specifically designed to process 47° API light shale crude, which is cleaner and less costly to refine compared with heavier imported oil. Unlike many older U.S. refineries that depend on foreign crude supplies, this facility will rely entirely on domestically produced oil, strengthening both economic and national security.
Once operational, the refinery will be capable of processing approximately 60 million barrels of U.S. shale oil annually. Its location at a deep-water port will enable efficient distribution to both domestic markets and export destinations.
Between 2014 and 2024, the United States exported nearly 10 billion barrels of crude oil while importing roughly 28 billion barrels, costing the country more than $1.8 trillion. AFR’s new refinery aims to reverse part of that imbalance by redirecting up to 60 million barrels of domestic crude each year into U.S. refining capacity, supporting domestic industry, improving energy security, and stimulating economic growth.
