
The diesel fuel industry has witnessed significant changes in recent years, with the pandemic, the Ukraine-Russia war, and global carbon emissions reduction targets influencing demand and production. Despite net-zero initiatives, the demand for diesel fuel remains high, especially in developing countries. The United States, the world's largest oil producer, has seen a dramatic increase in oil output since 2010 due to shale oil fracking. However, companies based in China, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and France also dominate the list of top diesel fuel producers. So, which company produces the most diesel fuel?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | Valero Energy Corporation |
| Location | San Antonio, Texas |
| Operations | 15 refineries with a throughput capacity of roughly 3 million barrels per day throughout the United States and Canada, and one refinery in Wales |
| Retail and Wholesale Stores | 6,800 stores operating under brands such as Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Beacon, and Texaco |
| Other Operations | 50-megawatt wind farm and 11 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 1.2 billion US gallons per year |
| Top Oil Companies | Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, TotalEnergies, Sinopec, PetroChina |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Sinopec, China's state-owned company, with a revenue of $405.4 billion
- PetroChina, the largest oil and gas producer and distributor in China
- Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's national oil company, with an average capacity of 10.95 million barrels per day
- Shell, a UK-Netherlands Public Limited Company with 80,000+ employees
- Valero, the largest independent petroleum refiner in the world

Sinopec, China's state-owned company, with a revenue of $405.4 billion
Sinopec, China's state-owned company, is a subsidiary of the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation. It is one of the largest oil refining conglomerates in the world and is also the second-highest revenue company globally, only behind Walmart. Sinopec was founded in 2000 by the China Petrochemical Corporation Group (Sinopec Group), a state-owned enterprise and majority shareholder. The company is headquartered in Beijing, China, and has over 350,000 employees.
Sinopec's primary source of income is the refining and marketing of oil products and petrochemical production. It has a vast network of over 30,000 petrol stations across China, giving it a significant market share in the petrochemicals industry. In 2024, Sinopec produced the equivalent of 515.35 million barrels of oil and gas, and processed 252.30 million metric tons of crude oil. The company also has oil and gas assets in the Shandong and Sichuan provinces.
Sinopec has been expanding its global presence through various acquisitions and investments. In 2007, it acquired a 9% stake in Canadian oil sand firms, Syncrude, for $4.65 billion. In 2010, it invested $7.1 billion in Repsol Brazil to form a new partnership, bringing deep water drilling expertise to China. Sinopec has also ventured into natural gas projects, such as the $4 billion project in Ethiopia, which includes a pipeline to the Djiboutian coast.
Despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a loss of 23 billion yuan in the first half of 2020, Sinopec has shown resilience and reported a 22% increase in revenue in 2021 as fuel and oil demand recovered. The company's trailing twelve-month revenue as of December 2024 was $428 billion, showcasing its strong financial performance.
BJ's Wholesale: Diesel Fuel Availability and Services
You may want to see also
Explore related products

PetroChina, the largest oil and gas producer and distributor in China
PetroChina Company Limited, headquartered in Beijing, is the largest oil and gas producer and distributor in China. It is a subsidiary of the state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), which is one of the largest oil companies in the world. PetroChina was established in 1999 as part of the restructuring of CNPC, and it inherited most of the assets and liabilities related to exploration and production, refining and marketing, chemicals, and natural gas businesses.
PetroChina has a strong global presence, with subsidiaries and branches in over 20 countries and a reach that extends to more than 90 countries. The company's global expansion strategy includes establishing regional nerve centres, such as its European Oil and Gas Operation Hub in London, to support its extensive international network.
In terms of operations, PetroChina covers a wide range of activities, including crude oil and oil products trading, LNG and natural gas trading, oil refining, storage, and transportation. The company has made significant investments in shale gas and has a subsidiary in Canada, named PetroChina Canada, which plays a crucial role in this regard. Additionally, PetroChina has signed notable deals, such as the A$50 billion agreement with ExxonMobil to secure liquefied natural gas from Australia for 20 years.
PetroChina's Dushanzi District refinery is China's largest, with an annual capacity of 10 million tons of oil and 1 million tons of ethylene. The company also owns and operates the West–East Gas Pipeline, a 4,000-kilometre-long pipeline that runs through 66 cities in 10 provinces in China. This pipeline is instrumental in supplying natural gas for electricity production in the Yangtze River Delta area.
Despite its prominence, PetroChina has faced controversies, including environmental concerns and scrutiny for its trading with the Sudanese government during the war in Darfur. The company has been fined for pollution and has been criticised for contaminating water supplies and causing air pollution in Lanzhou.
Diesel vs. Gasoline: Which Fuel Packs More Power?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's national oil company, with an average capacity of 10.95 million barrels per day
Saudi Aramco, officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is Saudi Arabia's national oil company. It is a majority state-owned petroleum and natural gas company. As of 2024, Saudi Aramco is the fourth-largest company in the world by revenue, with its headquarters in Dhahran.
Saudi Aramco has the world's second-largest proven crude oil reserves, with over 270 billion barrels, and the largest daily oil production of all oil-producing companies. The company operates the world's largest single hydrocarbon network, the Master Gas System. In 2024, its oil production total was 12.7 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, with an average hydrocarbon production of 13.6 million barrels per day, including 11.5 million barrels of crude oil per day.
Saudi Aramco has a long history in the oil industry. In 1988, a royal decree established the Saudi Arabian Oil Company to take control of the former Aramco assets and manage Saudi Arabia's oil and gas fields. In 1990, Aramco began expanding its crude oil sales in Asia, and by 2016, about 70% of its crude oil sales were in this market. In 2008, Aramco announced plans to increase production to 9.7 million barrels per day, and in 2011, it began production from the Karan Gas Field.
Saudi Aramco has a significant impact on the global oil market. In 2022, the company posted record-breaking net income, allowing it to strengthen its financial position and invest in various projects. The company has set ambitious goals for increasing oil production and continues to channel investments into exploration and development. Aramco is also committed to sustainability, with initiatives such as carbon capture and a $1.5 billion Sustainability Fund to support the energy transition.
Diesel: Fossil Fuel or Not?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$49.92 $45.31

Shell, a UK-Netherlands Public Limited Company with 80,000+ employees
Shell plc, a UK-Netherlands public limited company, is a leading player in the oil and gas industry. With over 80,000 employees, Shell has a rich history dating back to the merger of two rival companies in 1907: the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company of the Netherlands and the "Shell" Transport and Trading Company of the United Kingdom. This merger positioned Shell to compete globally with Standard Oil.
Over the years, Shell has faced criticism and scrutiny for its environmental record, including protests against the potential pollution caused by the disposal of the Brent Spar platform in the North Sea. Despite this, Shell maintains its commitment to sustainable development, as evidenced by its decision to abandon the platform's sinking under public pressure.
In terms of innovation, Shell was the first company in the Netherlands to purchase and utilise a computer in 1952, showcasing its early adoption of technology. The company has also made significant investments, such as redesigning a $3 billion natural gas platform in the North Sea to accommodate anticipated sea-level rise due to global warming.
Shell is currently the second-largest investor-owned oil and gas company globally by revenue, only surpassed by ExxonMobil. It has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New York Stock Exchange. With its headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, and a registered office in London, Shell continues to be a prominent player in the energy sector.
Diesel vs Unleaded: Cost Comparison
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Valero, the largest independent petroleum refiner in the world
Valero Energy Corporation is a Fortune 500 company and the world's largest independent petroleum refiner. It is an American fuels producer, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, and was established on January 1, 1980, as a spinoff of Coastal States Gas Corporation's Subsidiary, LoVaca Gathering Company. Valero's operations are divided into three segments: refining, renewable diesel, and ethanol.
The company owns and operates 15 petroleum refineries across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. These refineries have a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.2 million barrels per day. Valero also has two renewable diesel plants that produce around 1.2 billion gallons annually, and 12 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 1.6 billion gallons per year. In 2015, the company's refineries in Wilmington, California, and Benicia, California, processed about 13,000 and 7,200 barrels of Amazonian crude oil daily, respectively.
Valero has a strong presence in the retail sector, with around 6,800 branded wholesale and retail stores operating under various brands, including Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Beacon, and Texaco. In 2008, the company expanded its retail network by acquiring 72 Albertsons gas stations. Valero also owns a 50-megawatt wind farm and has made significant investments in the ethanol market, acquiring multiple ethanol plants in the Midwest in 2009.
The company has a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Valero is advancing the future of energy through innovation, aiming to meet the world's demand for reliable and sustainable energy. In January 2023, Valero announced an investment decision on a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) project at the Diamond Green Diesel Port Arthur plant, demonstrating its commitment to low-carbon transportation fuels.
Selling Heating Oil as Diesel: Wholesale Options
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
It is difficult to say which single company produces the most diesel fuel as diesel fuel is a high-volume product of oil refineries and there are many large oil companies. However, some of the biggest oil companies in the world include Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies, Chevron, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Valero Energy Corporation, and Sinopec.
Diesel fuel is produced in oil refineries all over the world. Most of the diesel fuel consumed in the United States is produced domestically.
Diesel fuel is made from the fractional distillation of crude oil, which is a type of petroleum. Other sources of diesel fuel include biomass, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, and coal liquefaction.
Diesel fuel is most commonly used in high-speed diesel engines, especially motor vehicles like cars and lorries. It is also used in large two-stroke watercraft engines, certain types of diesel engines, and gas turbines.




































