Pemex plans to build a new refinery to help lower Mexico's dependence on gasoline imports. The country, a major oil producer, must import approximately 40% of its gasoline imports because it lacks sufficient domestic refining capacity. According to the Mexican government, it will be necessary to build a new refinery every three years in order to completely phase out fuel imports by 2021.

Pemex had initially planned to build a 300,000-b/d facility at a cost of approximately $6 billion. However, the national oil company as of Nov. 10, 2008, was considering doubling the size of the proposed refinery so that it could process 600,000 b/d.

The proposed refinery will be built in Tula in Mexico's Hidalgo state. It will process heavy crude oil and will be Mexico's first new refinery in three decades.In February 2010, Pemex announced that it had awarded a $345 million contract to Saipem for two gasoline-desulfurizing plants.

The new refinery is expected to begin operations in 2015.