Ground has been broken in Duncan for construction of Oklahoma’s newest oil refinery.
Stephens County Commissioners joined representatives of Green Fuels Operating and officials of the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation on Friday to launch the beginning of work on the company’s planned $400 million refinery.
The site is a former refining complex with origins dating back to the 1920s. It has been empty for years. KFDX TV in Wichita Falls reported that once the refinery is operate at the old Sunray/Tosco site, will have be able to produce an estimated 30,000 barrels a day of diesel, gasoline, aviation fuel and other refined products. The plant will also employ 75 to 80 workers.
According to the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation, the groundbreaking marks the beginning of a new era for the Stephens County Refinery Property (SCRP) — a site with deep roots in the region’s industrial heritage. The ceremony will be conducted on behalf of Green Fuels Operating, the company leading redevelopment of the property, signaling the start of a transformational investment in Stephens County.
The former Sunray Corporation/Sun Oil Company/Tosco Corporation refinery was once a cornerstone of the local economy, operating as an aviation fuel producer from the 1920s until 1947 and as a general oil refinery through 1983, at one point employing as many as 400 workers. Following the facility’s closure, the site underwent extensive environmental remediation overseen by the EPA, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), and ConocoPhillips Corporation. ODEQ has since certified the property for brownfield redevelopment, paving the way for this exciting new chapter.
In February 2026, DAEDF entered into a management agreement with Stephens County to promote and facilitate economic development at the SCRP. As the successor to the Duncan Industrial Foundation and the region’s lead economic development organization since 1954, DAEDF has been actively recruiting businesses and coordinating development efforts at the site. The partnership with Green Fuels Operating represents the first major fruit of those efforts.
“This groundbreaking is a proud moment for Duncan and Stephens County,” said Lyle Roggow, President & CEO of DAEDF. “For decades, this property was a major employer and economic driver for our community. Thanks to the work of our county partners and state regulators, and to the vision of Green Fuels Operating, we are finally seeing this iconic site return to productive use. We look forward to the jobs, investment, and opportunity this redevelopment will bring to Stephens County families for generations to come.”
“We are honored to break ground on this project and to invest in the future of Duncan and Stephens County,” stated Derek Williamson, CEO, Green Fuels Operating. “This site has a proud industrial legacy, and it is our goal to build on that legacy by bringing clean fuels production, quality jobs, and long-term economic benefit back to this community. We are grateful for the partnership of DAEDF and the Stephens County Commissioners, and we look forward to growing alongside this region.”
Local Reaction And The Numbers
State and local officials are treating the project as a major vote of confidence in Duncan and Stephens County. Coverage of the event notes that U.S. Rep. Tom Cole and Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell were on hand to cheer the investment and tout the economic ripple effects. That reporting pegs the total capital spend at about $400 million, with storage capacity planned at up to 1,000,000 barrels and those 75 to 80 permanent jobs supported by hundreds of additional roles in surrounding supply chains, as reported by Texoma Homepage.
