Company plans $1B investment in Acadia

Acadia Parish is about to become the home of what’s being touted as the world’s first net-zero emissions fuel production facility.
Clean Refineries, Inc., announced that it is planning a $1 billion investment in the Evangeline area to produce marine-grade bunker fuel, high-performance asphalt, and ultra-clean diesel.
“It’s a a technology that has been in use for about seven years in California,” said Tony Gosset, chief operating officer of Clean Refineries.
“We can produce anything from asphalt to pain thinner.”
The 20,000 barrel-per-day facility will use an existing petroleum terminal that the company said will manufacture fuels with no toxic emissions, no detectable odors and a dramatically reduced carbon footprint.
The facility will also include produced-water treatment systems to reclaim oilfield wastewater for agricultural and industrial reuse, officials said.
In a statement Thursday, Derek Williamson, president and CEO of the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-based company, said the project will create approximately 160 direct jobs, each with an average salary over $105,000, and an additional 400 to 500 indirect jobs across supply chains, logistics and regional service providers.
“This is a refinery built for today’s needs and tomorrow’s standards,” Williamson said. “Southern Louisiana is a strategic gateway for marine transport, freight logistics, and road infrastructure — and we’re delivering a next-generation supply chain that’s clean, reliable, and built to last.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025, with the first production units online by late 2026.
Additional phases are planned for 2027 through 2028, officials said.
“We’re not just building a cleaner refinery — we’re building a smarter one,” Williamson said. “This project proves that energy security and environmental performance can go hand in hand — and that Southern Louisiana can lead the way.”
“We’re really looking forward to getting down there and working with the people of South Louisiana,” added Gossett, who previously worked for a oilfield company in Lafayette. “I really love the people and love the country.”