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10-K 1 vlo12311210k.htm 10-K
FORM 10-K
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
(Mark One)
| R | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012
OR
| o | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
| For the transition period from _______________ to _______________ |
Commission file number 1-13175
VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 74-1828067 |
| (State or other jurisdiction of | (I.R.S. Employer |
| incorporation or organization) | Identification No.) |
| One Valero Way | 78249 | ||
| San Antonio, Texas | (Zip Code) | ||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | |||
| Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (210) 345-2000 |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Common stock, $0.01 par value per share listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Yes R No o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
Yes R No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes R No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes R No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [X]
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer R | Accelerated filer o | Non-accelerated filer o | Smaller reporting company o |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o No R
The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates was approximately $13.3 billion based on the last sales price quoted as of June 29, 2012 on the New York Stock Exchange, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter.
As of January 31, 2013, 552,933,285 shares of the registrant’s common stock were outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
We intend to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a definitive Proxy Statement for our Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled for May 2, 2013, at which directors will be elected. Portions of the 2013 Proxy Statement are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K and are deemed to be a part of this report.
CROSS-REFERENCE SHEET
The following table indicates the headings in the 2013 Proxy Statement where certain information required in Part III of this Form 10-K may be found.
| Form 10-K Item No. and Caption | Heading in 2013 Proxy Statement | ||
| 10. | Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance | Information Regarding the Board of Directors, Independent Directors, Audit Committee, Proposal No. 1 Election of Directors, Information Concerning Nominees and Other Directors, Identification of Executive Officers, Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance, and Governance Documents and Codes of Ethics | |
| 11. | Executive Compensation | Compensation Committee, Compensation Discussion and Analysis, Director Compensation, Executive Compensation, and Certain Relationships and Related Transactions | |
| 12. | Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters | Beneficial Ownership of Valero Securities and Equity Compensation Plan Information | |
| 13. | Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence | Certain Relationships and Related Transactions and Independent Directors | |
| 14. | Principal Accountant Fees and Services | KPMG Fees for Fiscal Year 2012, KPMG Fees for Fiscal Year 2011, and Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy |
Copies of all documents incorporated by reference, other than exhibits to such documents, will be provided without charge to each person who receives a copy of this Form 10-K upon written request to Valero Energy Corporation, Attn: Secretary, P.O. Box 696000, San Antonio, Texas 78269-6000.
i
CONTENTS
ii
PART I
The terms “Valero,” “we,” “our,” and “us,” as used in this report, may refer to Valero Energy Corporation, to one or more of our consolidated subsidiaries, or to all of them taken as a whole. In this Form 10-K, we make certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our plans, strategies, objectives, expectations, intentions, and resources, under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You should read our forward-looking statements together with our disclosures beginning on page 26 of this report under the heading: “CAUTIONARY STATEMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995.”
ITEMS 1., 1A., and 2. BUSINESS, RISK FACTORS, AND PROPERTIES
Overview. We are a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, Texas. Our corporate offices are at One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, and our telephone number is (210) 345-2000. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “VLO.” We were incorporated in Delaware in 1981 under the name Valero Refining and Marketing Company. We changed our name to Valero Energy Corporation on August 1, 1997. On January 31, 2013, we had 21,671 employees.
Our 16 petroleum refineries are located in the United States (U.S.), Canada, the United Kingdom (U.K.), and Aruba. Our refineries can produce conventional gasolines, distillates, jet fuel, asphalt, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined products as well as a slate of premium products including CBOB and RBOB1, gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), CARB diesel fuel, and low-sulfur and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel.
We market branded and unbranded refined products on a wholesale basis in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Ireland through an extensive bulk and rack marketing network, and we sell refined products through a network of 1,880 company-owned and leased retail sites in the U.S. and Canada and 5,450 branded wholesale sites that we neither own nor operate in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Aruba, and Ireland.
We also own 10 ethanol plants in the central plains region of the U.S. that primarily produce ethanol, which we market on a wholesale basis through a bulk marketing network.
Available Information. Our website address is www.valero.com. Information on our website is not part of this annual report on Form 10-K. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K filed with (or furnished to) the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are available on our website (under “Investor Relations”) free of charge, soon after we file or furnish such material. In this same location, we also post our corporate governance guidelines, codes of ethics, and the charters of the committees of our board of directors. These documents are available in print to any stockholder that makes a written request to Valero Energy Corporation, Attn: Secretary, P.O. Box 696000, San Antonio, Texas 78269-6000.
1 CBOB, or “conventional blendstock for oxygenate blending,” is conventional gasoline blendstock intended for blending with oxygenates downstream of the refinery where it was produced. CBOB becomes conventional gasoline after blending with oxygenates. RBOB is a base unfinished reformulated gasoline mixture known as “reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending.” It is a specially produced reformulated gasoline blendstock intended for blending with oxygenates downstream of the refinery where it was produced to produce finished gasoline that meets or exceeds U.S. emissions performance requirements for federal reformulated gasoline. Ethanol is the primary oxygenate currently used in gasoline blending in the U.S.
SEGMENTS
We have three reportable business segments: refining, ethanol, and retail. The financial information about our segments is discussed in Note 18 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and is incorporated herein by reference.
| • | Our refining segment includes refining operations, wholesale marketing, product supply and distribution, and transportation operations. The refining segment is segregated geographically into the U.S. Gulf Coast, U.S. Mid-Continent, North Atlantic, and U.S. West Coast regions. |
| • | Our ethanol segment includes sales of internally produced ethanol and distillers grains. Our ethanol operations are geographically located in the central plains region of the U.S. |
| • | Our retail segment includes company-operated convenience stores in the U.S. and Canada; and filling stations, cardlock facilities, and heating oil operations in Canada. The retail segment is segregated into two geographic regions. Our retail operations in the U.S. are referred to as Retail–U.S. and our retail operations in Canada are referred to as Retail–Canada. |
VALERO’S OPERATIONS
REFINING
On December 31, 2012, our refining operations included 16 refineries in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Aruba, with a combined total throughput capacity of approximately 3.0 million barrels per day (BPD). The following table presents the locations of these refineries and their approximate feedstock throughput capacities as of December 31, 2012.
| Refinery | Location | Throughput Capacity (a) (BPD) | |||
| U.S. Gulf Coast: | |||||
| Corpus Christi (b) | Texas | 325,000 | |||
| Port Arthur | Texas | 310,000 | |||
| St. Charles | Louisiana | 270,000 | |||
| Texas City | Texas | 245,000 | |||
| Aruba (c) | Aruba | 235,000 | |||
| Houston | Texas | 160,000 | |||
| Meraux | Louisiana | 135,000 | |||
| Three Rivers | Texas | 100,000 | |||
| 1,780,000 | |||||
| U.S. Mid-Continent: | |||||
| Memphis | Tennessee | 195,000 | |||
| McKee | Texas | 170,000 | |||
| Ardmore | Oklahoma | 90,000 | |||
| 455,000 | |||||
| North Atlantic: | |||||
| Pembroke | Wales, U.K. | 270,000 | |||
| Quebec City | Quebec, Canada | 235,000 | |||
| 505,000 | |||||
| U.S. West Coast: | |||||
| Benicia | California | 170,000 | |||
| Wilmington | California | 135,000 | |||
| 305,000 | |||||
| Total | 3,045,000 |
| (a) | “Throughput capacity” represents estimated capacity for processing crude oil, intermediates, and other feedstocks. Total estimated crude oil capacity is approximately 2.6 million BPD. |
| (b) | Represents the combined capacities of two refineries – the Corpus Christi East and Corpus Christi West Refineries. |
| (c) | The operations of the Aruba Refinery were suspended in March 2012. For further discussion of this matter, see Note 4 in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. |
Total Refining System
The following table presents the percentages of principal charges and yields (on a combined basis) for all of our refineries for the year ended December 31, 2012. Our total combined throughput volumes averaged 2.6 million BPD for the year ended December 31, 2012.
| Combined Total Refining System Charges and Yields | |||
| Charges: | |||
| sour crude oil | 38 | % | |
| acidic sweet crude oil | 3 | % | |
| sweet crude oil | 35 | % | |
| residual fuel oil | 8 | % | |
| other feedstocks | 5 | % | |
| blendstocks | 11 | % | |
| Yields: | |||
| gasolines and blendstocks | 47 | % | |
| distillates | 35 | % | |
| petrochemicals | 3 | % | |
| other products (includes petrochemicals, gas oils, No. 6 fuel oil, petroleum coke, and asphalt) | 15 | % |
U.S. Gulf Coast
The following table presents the percentages of principal charges and yields (on a combined basis) for the nine refineries in this region for the year ended December 31, 2012. Total throughput volumes for the U.S. Gulf Coast refining region averaged 1.49 million BPD for the year ended December 31, 2012.
| Combined U.S. Gulf Coast Region Charges and Yields | |||
| Charges: | |||
| sour crude oil | 53 | % | |
| acidic sweet crude oil | 2 | % | |
| sweet crude oil | 14 | % | |
| residual fuel oil | 13 | % | |
| other feedstocks | 5 | % | |
| blendstocks | 13 | % | |
| Yields: | |||
| gasolines and blendstocks | 44 | % | |
| distillates | 34 | % | |
| petrochemicals | 4 | % | |
| other products (includes gas oil, No. 6 fuel oil, petroleum coke, and asphalt) | 18 | % |
Corpus Christi East and West Refineries. Our Corpus Christi East and West Refineries are located on the Texas Gulf Coast along the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. The East Refinery processes sour crude oil into conventional gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, aromatics, and other light products. The West Refinery specializes in processing primarily sour crude oil and residual fuel oil into premium products such as RBOB. The East and West Refineries allow for the transfer of various feedstocks and blending components between the two refineries and the sharing of resources. The refineries typically receive and deliver feedstocks and products by tanker and barge via deepwater docking facilities along the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Three truck racks with a total of 16 bays service local markets for gasoline, diesel, jet fuels, liquefied petroleum gases, and asphalt. Finished products are distributed across the refineries’ docks into ships or barges, and are transported via third-party pipelines to the Colonial, Explorer, Valley, and other major pipelines.
Port Arthur Refinery. Our Port Arthur Refinery is located on the Texas Gulf Coast approximately 90 miles east of Houston. The refinery processes primarily heavy sour crude oils and other feedstocks into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, petrochemicals, intermediates, petroleum coke, and sulfur. In 2012, we completed construction of a 57,000 BPD hydrocracker at this refinery, expanding the refinery’s yield of distillates. The refinery receives crude oil over marine docks and through crude oil pipelines, and has access to the Sunoco and Oiltanking terminals at Nederland, Texas. Finished products are distributed into the Colonial, Explorer, and TEPPCO pipelines and across the refinery docks into ships or barges.
St. Charles Refinery. Our St. Charles Refinery is located approximately 15 miles from New Orleans along the Mississippi River. The refinery processes sour crude oils and other feedstocks into gasoline, distillates, and other light products. In 2012, we continued construction on a planned 60,000 BPD hydrocracker at this refinery, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2013. The refinery receives crude oil over five marine docks and has access to the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port where it can receive crude oil through a 24-inch pipeline. Finished products can be shipped over these docks or through the Colonial pipeline network for distribution to the eastern U.S.
Texas City Refinery. Our Texas City Refinery is located southeast of Houston on the Texas City Ship Channel. The refinery processes sour crude oils into a wide slate of products. The refinery receives and delivers its feedstocks and products by ship and barge via deepwater docking facilities along the Texas City Ship Channel and uses the Colonial, Explorer, and TEPPCO pipelines for distribution of its products.
Houston Refinery. Our Houston Refinery is located on the Houston Ship Channel. It processes a mix of crude oils and intermediate oils into reformulated gasoline and distillates. The refinery receives its feedstocks via interstate crude pipelines, tankers at deepwater docking facilities along the Houston Ship Channel and interconnecting pipelines with the Texas City Refinery. It delivers its products through major refined-product pipelines, including the Colonial, Explorer, Orion, and TEPPCO pipelines.
Meraux Refinery. Our Meraux Refinery is located in St. Bernard Parish southeast of New Orleans. The refinery processes primarily medium sour crude oils into gasoline, distillates, and other light products. The refinery receives crude oil at its marine dock and has access to the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port where it can receive crude oil via the Clovelly-Alliance-Meraux pipeline system. Finished products can be shipped from the refinery’s dock or through the Colonial pipeline network for distribution to the eastern U.S. The Meraux Refinery is located about 40 miles from our St. Charles Refinery, allowing for integration of feedstocks and refined product blending.
Three Rivers Refinery. Our Three Rivers Refinery is located in South Texas between Corpus Christi and San Antonio. It processes sweet and medium sour crude oils into gasoline, distillates, and aromatics. The refinery has access to crude oil from sources outside the U.S. delivered to the Texas Gulf Coast at Corpus Christi as well as crude oil from U.S. sources through third-party pipelines and trucks. A 70-mile pipeline transports crude oil via connections to the Three Rivers Refinery from Corpus Christi. To capitalize on the increase in the production of domestic crude oil in South Texas, the refinery has installed facilities to receive domestic crude oil by truck and new third-party pipelines. The refinery distributes its refined products primarily through third-party pipelines.
Aruba Refinery. Our Aruba Refinery is located on the island of Aruba in the Caribbean Sea. The refinery heretofore processed primarily heavy sour crude oil and produced intermediate feedstocks and finished distillate products. The refinery receives crude oil by ship at its two deepwater marine docks, which can berth ultra-large crude carriers. The operations of the Aruba Refinery were suspended in March 2012, and in September 2012, we decided to reorganize the refinery into a crude oil and refined products terminal. We intend to maintain the refinery to allow it to be restarted and do not consider it to be abandoned. For additional information about this matter, see Note 4 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
U.S. Mid-Continent
The following table presents the percentages of principal charges and yields (on a combined basis) for the three refineries in this region for the year ended December 31, 2012. Total throughput volumes for the U.S. Mid-Continent refining region averaged approximately 430,000 BPD for the year ended December 31, 2012.
| Combined U.S. Mid-Continent Region Charges and Yields | |||
| Charges: | |||
| sour crude oil | 9 | % | |
| sweet crude oil | 81 | % | |
| other feedstocks | 1 | % | |
| blendstocks | 9 | % | |
| Yields: | |||
| gasolines and blendstocks | 54 | % | |
| distillates | 36 | % | |
| petrochemicals | 4 | % | |
| other products (includes gas oil, No. 6 fuel oil, and asphalt) | 6 | % |
Memphis Refinery. Our Memphis Refinery is located in Tennessee along the Mississippi River’s Lake McKellar. It processes primarily sweet crude oils. Most of its production is light products, including regular and premium gasoline, diesel, jet fuels, and petrochemicals. Crude oil is supplied to the refinery via the Capline pipeline and can also be received, along with other feedstocks, via barge. The refinery’s products are distributed via truck racks at our three product terminals, barges, and a pipeline network, including one pipeline directly to the Memphis airport.
McKee Refinery. Our McKee Refinery is located in the Texas Panhandle. It processes primarily sweet crude oils into conventional gasoline, RBOB, low-sulfur diesel, jet fuels, and asphalt. The refinery has access to crude oil from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado through third-party pipelines. The refinery also has access at Wichita Falls, Texas to third-party pipelines that transport crude oil from West Texas to the U.S.
Mid-Continent region. The refinery distributes its products primarily via third-party pipelines to markets in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Oklahoma.
Ardmore Refinery. Our Ardmore Refinery is located in Ardmore, Oklahoma, approximately 100 miles south of Oklahoma City. It processes medium sour and sweet crude oils into conventional gasoline, ultra-low-sulfur diesel, liquefied petroleum gas products, and asphalt. Local crude oil is gathered by Enterprise’s crude oil gathering/trunkline systems and trucking operations, and is then transported to the refinery through third-party crude oil pipelines. The refinery also receives crude oil from other locations via third-party pipelines. Refined products are transported to market via railcars, trucks, and the Magellan pipeline system.
North Atlantic
The following table presents the percentages of principal charges and yields (on a combined basis) for the two refineries in this region for the year ended December 31, 2012. Total throughput volumes for the North Atlantic refining region averaged approximately 428,000 BPD for the year ended December 31, 2012.
| Combined North Atlantic Region Charges and Yields | |||
| Charges: | |||
| sour crude oil | 2 | % | |
| acidic sweet crude oil | 6 | % | |
| sweet crude oil | 81 | % | |
| residual fuel oil | 2 | % | |
| other feedstocks | 2 | % | |
| blendstocks | 7 | % | |
| Yields: | |||
| gasolines and blendstocks | 43 | % | |
| distillates | 44 | % | |
| petrochemicals | 1 | % | |
| other products (includes gas oil, No. 6 fuel oil, and other products) | 12 | % |
Pembroke Refinery. Our Pembroke Refinery is located in the County of Pembrokeshire in southwest Wales, U.K. The refinery processes primarily sweet crude oils into ultra-low sulfur gasoline and diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, and low sulfur fuel oil. The refinery receives all of its feedstocks and delivers the majority of its products by ship and barge via deepwater docking facilities along the Milford Haven Waterway with its remaining products being delivered by our Mainline pipeline system and by tanker trucks.
Quebec City Refinery. Our Quebec City Refinery is located in Lévis, Canada (near Quebec City). It processes sweet, high mercaptan crude oils and lower-quality, sweet acidic crude oils into conventional gasoline, low-sulfur diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, and propane. The refinery receives crude oil by ship at its deepwater dock on the St. Lawrence River. The refinery transports its products through our pipeline (commissioned in December 2012) from Quebec to our terminal in Montreal and to various other terminals throughout eastern Canada by trains, ships, truck and third-party pipeline.
U.S. West Coast
The following table presents the percentages of principal charges and yields (on a combined basis) for the two refineries in this region for the year ended December 31, 2012. Total throughput volumes for the U.S. West Coast refining region averaged approximately 267,000 BPD for the year ended December 31, 2012.
| Combined U.S. West Coast Region Charges and Yields | |||
| Charges: | |||
| sour crude oil | 62 | % | |
| acidic sweet crude oil | 11 | % | |
| sweet crude oil | 4 | % | |
| other feedstocks | 10 | % | |
| blendstocks | 13 | % | |
| Yields: | |||
| gasolines and blendstocks | 62 | % | |
| distillates | 25 | % | |
| other products (includes gas oil, No. 6 fuel oil, petroleum coke, and asphalt) | 13 | % |
Benicia Refinery. Our Benicia Refinery is located northeast of San Francisco on the Carquinez Straits of San Francisco Bay. It processes sour crude oils into premium products, primarily CARBOB gasoline, a reformulated gasoline mixture that meets the specifications of the CARB when blended with ethanol. The refinery receives crude oil feedstocks via a marine dock that can berth large crude oil carriers and a 20-inch crude oil pipeline connected to a southern California crude oil delivery system. Most of the refinery’s products are distributed via the Kinder Morgan pipeline system in California.
Wilmington Refinery. Our Wilmington Refinery is located near Los Angeles, California. The refinery processes a blend of lower-cost heavy and high-sulfur crude oils. The refinery can produce all of its gasoline as CARBOB gasoline and produces ultra-low-sulfur diesel, CARB diesel, and jet fuel. The refinery is connected by pipeline to marine terminals and associated dock facilities that can move and store crude oil and other feedstocks. Refined products are distributed via the Kinder Morgan pipeline system and various third-party terminals in southern California, Nevada, and Arizona.
Feedstock Supply
Approximately 77 percent of our current crude oil feedstock requirements are purchased through term contracts while the remaining requirements are generally purchased on the spot market. Our term supply agreements include arrangements to purchase feedstocks at market-related prices directly or indirectly from various national oil companies as well as international and U.S. oil companies. The contracts generally permit the parties to amend the contracts (or terminate them), effective as of the next scheduled renewal date, by giving the other party proper notice within a prescribed period of time (e.g., 60 days, 6 months) before expiration of the current term. The majority of the crude oil purchased under our term contracts is purchased at the producer’s official stated price (i.e., the “market” price established by the seller for all purchasers) and not at a negotiated price specific to us.
The U.S. network of crude oil pipelines and terminals allows us to acquire crude oil from producing leases, crude oil trading centers, and ships delivering cargoes of crude oil. Our Pembroke and Quebec City Refineries rely on crude oil that is delivered to the refineries’ dock facilities by ship.
In 2012, our refining business benefited from processing sweet crude oils sourced from the inland U.S. This development is discussed further in Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the caption “Outlook.”
Refining Segment Sales
Overview
Our refining segment includes sales of refined products in both the wholesale rack and bulk markets. These sales include refined products that are manufactured in our refining operations as well as refined products purchased or received on exchange from third parties. Most of our refineries have access to marine transportation facilities and interconnect with common-carrier pipeline systems, allowing us to sell products in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and other countries. No customer accounted for more than 10 percent of our total operating revenues in 2012.
Wholesale Marketing
We market branded and unbranded refined products on a wholesale basis through an extensive rack marketing network. The principal purchasers of our refined products from terminal truck racks are wholesalers, distributors, retailers, and truck-delivered end users throughout the U.S., the U.K., and Ireland.
The majority of our rack volume is sold through unbranded channels. The remainder is sold to distributors and dealers that are members of the Valero-brand family that operate approximately 4,450 branded sites in the U.S. and approximately 1,000 branded sites in the U.K. and Ireland. These sites are independently owned and are supplied by us under multi-year contracts. For wholesale branded sites, we promote our Valero®, Beacon®, and Shamrock® brands in the U.S., and the Texaco® brand in the U.K. and Ireland.
Bulk Sales and Trading
We sell a significant portion of our gasoline and distillate production through bulk sales channels in U.S. and international markets. Our bulk sales are made to various oil companies and traders as well as certain bulk end-users such as railroads, airlines, and utilities. Our bulk sales are transported primarily by pipeline, barges, and tankers to major tank farms and trading hubs.
We also enter into refined product exchange and purchase agreements. These agreements help minimize transportation costs, optimize refinery utilization, balance refined product availability, broaden geographic
distribution, and provide access to markets not connected to our refined-product pipeline systems. Exchange agreements provide for the delivery of refined products by us to unaffiliated companies at our and third-parties’ terminals in exchange for delivery of a similar amount of refined products to us by these unaffiliated companies at specified locations. Purchase agreements involve our purchase of refined products from third parties with delivery occurring at specified locations.
Specialty Products
We sell a variety of other products produced at our refineries, which we refer to collectively as “Specialty Products.” Our Specialty Products include asphalt, lube oils, natural gas liquids (NGLs), petroleum coke, petrochemicals, and sulfur.
| • | We produce asphalt at five of our refineries. Our asphalt products are sold for use in road construction, road repair, and roofing applications through a network of refinery and terminal loading racks. |
| • | We produce naphthenic oils at one of our refineries suitable for a wide variety of lubricant and process applications. |
| • | NGLs produced at our refineries include butane, isobutane, and propane. These products can be used for gasoline blending, home heating, and petrochemical plant feedstocks. |
| • | We are a significant producer of petroleum coke, supplying primarily power generation customers and cement manufacturers. Petroleum coke is used largely as a substitute for coal. |
| • | We produce and market a number of commodity petrochemicals including aromatics (benzene, toluene, and xylene) and two grades of propylene. Aromatics and propylenes are sold to customers in the chemical industry for further processing into such products as paints, plastics, and adhesives. |
| • | We are a large producer of sulfur with sales primarily to customers in the agricultural sector. Sulfur is used in manufacturing fertilizer. |
ETHANOL
We own 10 ethanol plants with a combined ethanol nameplate production capacity of about 1.1 billion gallons per year. Our ethanol plants are dry mill facilities1 that process corn to produce ethanol and distillers grains.2 We source our corn supply from local farmers and commercial elevators. Our facilities receive corn by rail and truck. We publish on our website a corn bid for local farmers and cooperative dealers to use to facilitate corn supply transactions.
After processing, our ethanol is held in storage tanks on-site pending loading to trucks and railcars. We sell our ethanol (i) to large customers – primarily refiners and gasoline blenders – under term and spot contracts, and (ii) in bulk markets such as New York, Chicago, Dallas, Florida, and the U.S. West Coast. We also use our ethanol for our own needs in blending gasoline. We ship our dry distillers grains (DDG) by truck or rail primarily to animal feed customers in the U.S. and Mexico, with some sales into the Far East. We also sell modified distillers grains locally at our plant sites.
The following table presents the locations of our ethanol plants, their approximate ethanol and DDG production capacities, and their approximate corn processing capacities.
| State | City | Ethanol Nameplate Production (in gallons per year) | Production of DDG (in tons per year) | Corn Processed (in bushels per year) | ||||
| Indiana | Linden | 110 million | 350,000 | 40 million | ||||
| Iowa | Albert City | 110 million | 350,000 | 40 million | ||||
| Charles City | 110 million | 350,000 | 40 million | |||||
| Fort Dodge | 110 million | 350,000 | 40 million | |||||
| Hartley | 110 million | 350,000 | 40 million | |||||
| Minnesota | Welcome | 110 million | 350,000 | 40 million | ||||
| Nebraska | Albion | 110 million | 350,000 | 40 million | ||||
| Ohio | Bloomingburg | 110 million | 350,000 | 40 million | ||||
| South Dakota | Aurora | 120 million | 390,000 | 43 million | ||||
| Wisconsin | Jefferson | 110 million | 350,000 | 40 million | ||||
| Total | 1,110 million | 3,540,000 | 403 million |
The combined ethanol production from our plants in 2012 averaged 3.0 million gallons per day.
| 1 | Ethanol is commercially produced using either the wet mill or dry mill process. Wet milling involves separating the grain kernel into its component parts (germ, fiber, protein, and starch) prior to fermentation. In the dry mill process, the entire grain kernel is ground into flour. The starch in the flour is converted to ethanol during the fermentation process, creating carbon dioxide and distillers grains. |
| 2 | During fermentation, nearly all of the starch in the grain is converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide, while the remaining nutrients (proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins) are concentrated to yield modified distillers grains, or, after further drying, dried distillers grains. Distillers grains generally are an economical partial replacement for corn, soybean, and dicalcium phosphate in feeds for livestock, swine, and poultry. |
RETAIL
Our retail segment operations include:
| • | the sale of motor fuel at convenience stores, filling stations, and cardlocks; |
| • | the sale of convenience merchandise items and services at our convenience stores; and |
| • | the sale of heating oil to residential customers and heating oil and motor fuel to small commercial customers. |
We are one of the largest independent retailers of motor fuel in the central and southwest U.S. and eastern Canada. Our retail operations are segregated geographically into two groups: Retail–U.S. and Retail–Canada.
We plan to separate our retail business under a new company named CST Brands, Inc. (CST). CST is a wholly owned subsidiary of Valero Energy Corporation. The separation is planned by way of a pro rata distribution of 80 percent of the outstanding shares of CST common stock to Valero stockholders. For a further discussion of the planned separation, see Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the caption “Outlook.”
Retail–U.S.
Sales in Retail–U.S. represent sales of motor fuel and convenience merchandise items and services through our company-operated convenience stores. For the year ended December 31, 2012, total sales of motor fuel through Retail–U.S.’s sites averaged 122,583 BPD. In addition to motor fuel, our company-operated stores sell convenience-type items, such as tobacco products, beer, snacks and beverages, and fast foods. Our stores also offer services such as ATM access, money orders, lottery tickets, car wash facilities, air and water, and video rentals. On December 31, 2012, we had 1,032 company-operated convenience stores in Retail–U.S. (of which 833 were owned and 199 were leased). Our company-operated convenience stores are operated primarily under the Corner Store® brand name. Motor fuel sold in our Retail–U.S. stores are sold primarily under the Valero® brand.
Retail–Canada
Sales in Retail–Canada include:
| • | the sale of motor fuel and convenience merchandise items through our company-operated convenience stores and cardlocks, |
| • | the sale of motor fuel through filling stations owned and operated by independent dealers or agents where we retain title to the motor fuel and sell it directly to our customers, and |
| • | the sale of heating oil to residential and small commercial customers. |
Retail–Canada includes retail operations in eastern Canada where we are a major supplier of motor fuel serving Quebec, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. For the year ended December 31, 2012, total retail sales of motor fuel through Retail–Canada averaged approximately 68,100 BPD. Motor fuel is sold under the Ultramar® brand through a network of 848 retail sites throughout eastern Canada. On December 31, 2012, we owned or leased 261 convenience stores in Retail–Canada and sold motor fuel through 507 filling stations. In addition, Retail–Canada operates 80 cardlocks, which are card- or key-activated, self-service, unattended filling stations that allow commercial, trucking, and governmental fleets to buy motor fuel 24 hours a day. Retail–Canada operations also include the sale of heating oil to residential customers and heating oil and motor fuel to small commercial customers in eastern Canada. Our heating oil business is seasonal to the extent of increased demand for heating oil during the winter.
RISK FACTORS
Risk Factors Related to Our Business
Our financial results are affected by volatile refining margins, which are dependent upon factors beyond our control.
Our financial results are primarily affected by the relationship, or margin, between refined product prices and the prices for crude oil and other feedstocks. Our cost to acquire feedstocks and the price at which we can ultimately sell refined products depend upon several factors beyond our control, including regional and global supply of and demand for crude oil, gasoline, diesel, and other feedstocks and refined products. These in turn depend on, among other things, the availability and quantity of imports, the production levels of U.S. and international suppliers, levels of refined product inventories, productivity and growth (or the lack thereof) of U.S. and global economies, U.S. relationships with foreign governments, political affairs, and the extent of governmental regulation. Historically, refining margins have been volatile, and we believe they will continue to be volatile in the future.
Economic turmoil and political unrest or hostilities, including the threat of future terrorist attacks, could affect the economies of the U.S. and other countries. Lower levels of economic activity could result in declines in energy consumption, including declines in the demand for and consumption of our refined products, which could cause our revenues and margins to decline and limit our future growth prospects.
Refining margins are also significantly impacted by additional refinery conversion capacity through the expansion of existing refineries or the construction of new refineries. Worldwide refining capacity expansions may result in refining production capability exceeding refined product demand, which would have an adverse effect on refining margins.
A significant portion of our profitability is derived from the ability to purchase and process crude oil feedstocks that historically have been cheaper than benchmark crude oils, such as Louisiana Light Sweet (LLS) and Brent crude oils. These crude oil feedstock differentials vary significantly depending on overall economic conditions and trends and conditions within the markets for crude oil and refined products, and they could decline in the future, which would have a negative impact on our results of operations.
Uncertainty and illiquidity in credit and capital markets can impair our ability to obtain credit and financing on acceptable terms, and can adversely affect the financial strength of our business partners.
Our ability to obtain credit and capital depends in large measure on capital markets and liquidity factors that we do not control. Our ability to access credit and capital markets may be restricted at a time when we would like, or need, to access those markets, which could have an impact on our flexibility to react to changing economic and business conditions. In addition, the cost and availability of debt and equity financing may be adversely impacted by unstable or illiquid market conditions. Protracted uncertainty and illiquidity in these markets also could have an adverse impact on our lenders, commodity hedging counterparties, or our customers, causing them to fail to meet their obligations to us. In addition, decreased returns on pension fund assets may also materially increase our pension funding requirements.
Our access to credit and capital markets also depends on the credit ratings assigned to our debt by independent credit rating agencies. We currently maintain investment-grade ratings by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P), Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s), and Fitch Ratings (Fitch) on our senior unsecured debt. (Ratings from credit agencies are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold our securities. Each rating should be evaluated independently of any other rating.) We cannot provide assurance that any of our current ratings
will remain in effect for any given period of time or that a rating will not be lowered or withdrawn entirely by a rating agency if, in its judgment, circumstances so warrant. Specifically, if S&P, Moody’s, or Fitch were to downgrade our long-term rating, particularly below investment grade, our borrowing costs would increase, which could adversely affect our ability to attract potential investors and our funding sources could decrease. In addition, we may not be able to obtain favorable credit terms from our suppliers or they may require us to provide collateral, letters of credit, or other forms of security which would increase our operating costs. As a result, a downgrade below investment grade in our credit ratings could have a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations, and liquidity.
From time to time, our cash needs may exceed our internally generated cash flow, and our business could be materially and adversely affected if we were unable to obtain necessary funds from financing activities. From time to time, we may need to supplement our cash generated from operations with proceeds from financing activities. We have existing revolving credit facilities, committed letter of credit facilities, and an accounts receivable sales facility to provide us with available financing to meet our ongoing cash needs. In addition, we rely on the counterparties to our derivative instruments to fund their obligations under such arrangements. Uncertainty and illiquidity in financial markets may materially impact the ability of the participating financial institutions and other counterparties to fund their commitments to us under our various financing facilities or our derivative instruments, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, and liquidity.
Compliance with and changes in environmental laws, including proposed climate change laws and regulations, could adversely affect our performance.
The principal environmental risks associated with our operations are emissions into the air and releases into the soil, surface water, or groundwater. Our operations are subject to extensive environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to the discharge of materials into the environment, waste management, pollution prevention measures, greenhouse gas emissions, and characteristics and composition of gasoline and diesel fuels. Certain of these laws and regulations could impose obligations to conduct assessment or remediation efforts at our facilities as well as at formerly owned properties or third-party sites where we have taken wastes for disposal or where our wastes have migrated. Environmental laws and regulations also may impose liability on us for the conduct of third parties, or for actions that complied with applicable requirements when taken, regardless of negligence or fault. If we violate or fail to comply with these laws and regulations, we could be fined or otherwise sanctioned.
Because environmental laws and regulations are becoming more stringent and new environmental laws and regulations are continuously being enacted or proposed, such as those relating to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, the level of expenditures required for environmental matters could increase in the future. Current and future legislative action and regulatory initiatives could result in changes to operating permits, material changes in operations, increased capital expenditures and operating costs, increased costs of the goods we sell, and decreased demand for our products that cannot be assessed with certainty at this time. We may be required to make expenditures to modify operations or install pollution control equipment that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity. For example, in 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed more stringent requirements for refinery air emissions through revisions to existing New Source Performance Standards and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. The EPA also issued final amendments to Subpart Ja of the New Source Performance Standards, which included revisions to certain emission limits, monitoring requirements, fuel gas concentration limits, and waste gas flow limits for process heaters and flares. In addition, the EPA has, in recent years, adopted final rules making more stringent the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, and the EPA is considering further revisions to the NAAQS. Emerging rules and permitting requirements implementing these revised standards may require us to install more stringent controls at our facilities, which may result in increased capital expenditures. Governmental restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions – including so-called “cap-and-trade” programs targeted at reducing carbon dioxide emissions – could result in material increased compliance costs, additional operating restrictions for our business, and an increase in the cost of, and reduction in demand for, the products we produce, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, and liquidity.
Disruption of our ability to obtain crude oil could adversely affect our operations.
A significant portion of our feedstock requirements is satisfied through supplies originating in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, North America, and South America. We are, therefore, subject to the political, geographic, and economic risks attendant to doing business with suppliers located in, and supplies originating from, these areas. If one or more of our supply contracts were terminated, or if political events disrupt our traditional crude oil supply, we believe that adequate alternative supplies of crude oil would be available, but it is possible that we would be unable to find alternative sources of supply. If we are unable to obtain adequate crude oil volumes or are able to obtain such volumes only at unfavorable prices, our results of operations could be materially adversely affected, including reduced sales volumes of refined products or reduced margins as a result of higher crude oil costs.
In addition, the U.S. government can prevent or restrict us from doing business in or with other countries. These restrictions, and those of other governments, could limit our ability to gain access to business opportunities in various countries. Actions by both the U.S. and other countries have affected our operations in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
We are subject to interruptions of supply and increased costs as a result of our reliance on third-party transportation of crude oil and refined products.
We often use the services of third parties to transport feedstocks and refined products to and from our facilities. If we experience prolonged interruptions of supply or increases in costs to deliver refined products to market, or if the ability of the pipelines or vessels to transport feedstocks or refined products is disrupted because of weather events, accidents, governmental regulations, or third-party actions, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, and liquidity.
Competitors that produce their own supply of feedstocks, have more extensive retail sites, have greater financial resources, or provide alternative energy sources may have a competitive advantage.
The refining and marketing industry is highly competitive with respect to both feedstock supply and refined product markets. We compete with many companies for available supplies of crude oil and other feedstocks and for sites for our refined products. We do not produce any of our crude oil feedstocks and, following the proposed separation of our retail business, will not have a company-owned retail network. Many of our competitors, however, obtain a significant portion of their feedstocks from company-owned production and some have extensive retail sites. Such competitors are at times able to offset losses from refining operations with profits from producing or retailing operations, and may be better positioned to withstand periods of depressed refining margins or feedstock shortages.
Some of our competitors also have materially greater financial and other resources than we have. Such competitors have a greater ability to bear the economic risks inherent in all phases of our industry. In addition, we compete with other industries that provide alternative means to satisfy the energy and fuel requirements of our industrial, commercial, and individual consumers.
A significant interruption in one or more of our refineries or our information technology systems could adversely affect our business.
Our refineries are our principal operating assets. As a result, our operations could be subject to significant interruption if one or more of our refineries were to experience a major accident or mechanical failure, encounter work stoppages relating to organized labor issues, be damaged by severe weather or other natural or man-made disaster, such as an act of terrorism, or otherwise be forced to shut down. If any refinery were to experience an interruption in operations, earnings from the refinery could be materially adversely affected (to the extent not recoverable through insurance) because of lost production and repair costs. Significant interruptions in our refining system could also lead to increased volatility in prices for crude oil feedstocks and refined products, and could increase instability in the financial and insurance markets, making it more difficult for us to access capital and to obtain insurance coverage that we consider adequate.
In addition, our information technology systems and network infrastructure may be subject to unauthorized access or attack, which could result in a loss of sensitive business information, systems interruption, or the disruption of our business operations. There can be no assurance that our infrastructure protection technologies and disaster recovery plans can prevent a technology systems breach or systems failure, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.
We are subject to operational risks and our insurance may not be sufficient to cover all potential losses arising from operating hazards. Failure by one or more insurers to honor its coverage commitments for an insured event could materially and adversely affect our financial position, results of operations, and liquidity.
Our refining and marketing operations are subject to various hazards common to the industry, including explosions, fires, toxic emissions, maritime hazards, and natural catastrophes. As protection against these hazards, we maintain insurance coverage against some, but not all, such potential losses and liabilities. We may not be able to maintain or obtain insurance of the type and amount we desire at reasonable rates. As a result of market conditions, premiums and deductibles for certain of our insurance policies could increase substantially. In some instances, certain insurance could become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. For example, coverage for hurricane damage is very limited, and coverage for terrorism risks includes very broad exclusions. If we were to incur a significant liability for which we were not fully insured, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial position.
Our insurance program includes a number of insurance carriers. Significant disruptions in financial markets could lead to a deterioration in the financial condition of many financial institutions, including insurance companies. We can make no assurances that we will be able to obtain the full amount of our insurance coverage for insured events.
Compliance with and changes in tax laws could adversely affect our performance.
We are subject to extensive tax liabilities imposed by multiple jurisdictions, including income taxes, indirect taxes (excise/duty, sales/use, gross receipts, and value-added taxes), payroll taxes, franchise taxes,
withholding taxes, and ad valorem taxes. New tax laws and regulations and changes in existing tax laws and regulations are continuously being enacted or proposed that could result in increased expenditures for tax liabilities in the future. Many of these liabilities are subject to periodic audits by the respective taxing authority. Subsequent changes to our tax liabilities as a result of these audits may subject us to interest and penalties.
We may incur losses as a result of our forward-contract activities and derivative transactions.
We currently use commodity derivative instruments, and we expect to continue their use in the future. If the instruments we use to hedge our exposure to various types of risk are not effective, we may incur losses.
Risk Factors Related to the Planned Separation of our Retail Business
Risks associated with the separation of CST.
Our planned separation of CST is subject to a number of risks, including the following:
Risk of Non-Consummation. Although we expect to distribute 80 percent of the shares of CST common stock to Valero stockholders, the distribution remains subject to conditions, including, but not limited to: (i) the SEC having declared effective CST’s registration statement on Form 10; (ii) the receipt of a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to the effect that the distribution, together with certain related transactions, will qualify as a reorganization for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (Code); and (iii) the receipt of an opinion from a nationally recognized investment banking firm or other authority confirming the solvency and financial viability of CST after the distribution. There can be no assurance that any or all of these conditions will be met and that the distribution will be completed in the manner currently contemplated, or at all. In addition, the fulfillment of these conditions does not create any obligations on our part to effect the distribution, and our board of directors has reserved the right, in its sole discretion, to abandon, modify, or change the terms of the distribution.
Risks of Not Obtaining Benefits from the Separation. We and CST may not realize some or all of the benefits we expect from the separation in the time frame currently contemplated, or at all.
Risks Relating to Less Diversification. If the distribution is completed, our diversification of revenue sources will diminish due to the separation of CST from our other businesses, and it is possible that our results of operations, cash flows, working capital and financing requirements may be subject to increased volatility as a result.
Risks Relating to Taxes. We are seeking a private letter ruling from the IRS substantially to the effect that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the distribution of 80 percent of the shares of CST common stock, except for cash received in lieu of fractional shares, will qualify as tax-free under Sections 355 and 361 of the Code, and that certain internal transactions undertaken in anticipation of the distribution will qualify for favorable treatment. Notwithstanding the private letter ruling, the IRS could determine on audit that the distribution or the internal transactions should be treated as taxable transactions if it determines that any of the facts, assumptions, representations, or undertakings we or CST have made or provided to the IRS is not correct, or that the distribution or the internal transactions should be taxable for other reasons, including as a result of a significant change in stock or asset ownership after the distribution. If the distribution ultimately is determined to be taxable, we and/or our stockholders that are subject to U.S. federal income tax could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities.
Risks Relating to Post-Separation Share Value. Until the market has fully analyzed the value of our company after the distribution, we may experience more stock price volatility than usual. In addition, it is possible that the combined trading prices of our common stock and CST common stock immediately after the distribution will be less than the trading price of shares of our common stock immediately before the distribution.
Our minority investment in CST will be subject to certain risks and uncertainties and we may not be able to capture the full benefits from this investment.
After the distribution, we expect to retain 20 percent of the outstanding shares of CST common stock. As with any investment in a publicly traded company, our investment in CST will be subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which are disclosed in more detail in CST’s filings with the SEC. In addition, in connection with the separation, we will agree, and will grant to CST a proxy, to vote all of the shares of CST common stock that we retain in proportion to the votes cast by CST’s other stockholders. As a result, after the distribution, we may be required to vote our shares of CST common stock in a manner that is contrary to the manner we would otherwise have voted such shares.
We currently plan to dispose of all of the shares of CST common stock we will retain after the distribution through one or more exchanges for our indebtedness outstanding at the time of such exchange. We expect that pursuant to the private letter ruling we are seeking from the IRS in connection with the distribution, we will be required to dispose of any shares we do not dispose of pursuant to such exchanges as soon as practicable and consistent with our reasons for retaining such shares, but in no event later than five years after the distribution in connection with the separation. As a result, we may be required to sell some or all of our retained shares of CST common stock at a time when we might not otherwise choose to do so, and any such disposition in the public market, or the perception that such dispositions could occur, could adversely affect prevailing market prices for CST common stock and/or the value or the terms of such disposition.
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
We incorporate by reference into this Item the environmental disclosures contained in the following sections of this report:
| • | Item 1 under the caption “Risk Factors – Compliance with and changes in environmental laws, including proposed climate change laws and regulations, could adversely affect our performance,” |
| • | Item 3, “Legal Proceedings” under the caption “Environmental Enforcement Matters,” and |
| • | Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in Note 10 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements under the caption “Environmental Liabilities” and Note 12 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements under the caption “Environmental Matters.” |
Capital Expenditures Attributable to Compliance with Environmental Regulations. In 2012, our capital expenditures attributable to compliance with environmental regulations were $135 million, and are currently estimated to be $100 million for 2013 and $70 million for 2014. The estimates for 2013 and 2014 do not include amounts related to capital investments at our facilities that management has deemed to be strategic investments. These amounts could materially change as a result of governmental and regulatory actions.
PROPERTIES
Our principal properties are described above under the caption “Valero’s Operations,” and that information is incorporated herein by reference. We also own feedstock and refined product storage and transportation facilities in various locations. We believe that our properties and facilities are generally adequate for our operations and that our facilities are maintained in a good state of repair. As of December 31, 2012, we were the lessee under a number of cancelable and noncancelable leases for certain properties. Our leases are discussed more fully in Notes 11 and 12 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Our patents relating to our refining operations are not material to us as a whole. The trademarks and tradenames under which we conduct our retail and branded wholesale business – including Valero®, Diamond Shamrock®, Shamrock®, Ultramar®, Beacon®, Texaco®, Corner Store®, and Stop N Go® – and other trademarks employed in the marketing of petroleum products are integral to our wholesale and retail marketing operations.
Next: Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS