This will be the second refinery to shut down operations in California within the past six months. The 237 employees affected are expected to be separated from employment starting March 15 and concluding on July 1. It owns 15 petroleum refineries located in the United States, Canada, and the UK with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.2 million barrels per day. Valero Headquarters in San Antonio, and has more than 9,900 employees, with approximately 400 at the Benicia venue. Senator Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach) claimed that high California gas prices have driven up the cost of goods and services across the board, making everyday life more expensive.