Our HOVENSA joint venture refinery in the United States Virgin Islands is one of the largest in the world. Jointly owned by Hess and Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., the facility is strategically positioned and enjoys strong economies of scale.

The refinery has 500,000 barrels per day of crude distillation capacity and a 150,000 barrel per day fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCC), which allows it to make significant volumes of high-quality gasoline and distillates. In addition, the refinery has a 58,000 barrel per day delayed coking unit, which enables the refinery to process lower-cost heavy crude oils. Gross crude runs at the refinery averaged 402,000 barrels per day in 2009 versus 441,000 barrels per day in 2008. Lower crude runs in 2009 reflected the weak margin environment and unplanned maintenance during the year.

Our Port Reading, New Jersey FCC facility located near New York Harbor produces gasoline and fuel oil primarily for markets in the Northeast United States. The facility averaged feedstock runs of about 63,000 barrels per day in 2009 versus 64,000 barrels per day in 2008.

Hess operates a network of 20 refined product terminals on the East Coast of the United States, as well as an oil storage facility in St. Lucia.

Our East Coast terminals provide the company a competitive advantage in the supply of refined products to our Retail and Energy Marketing businesses. Third-party utilization of our storage tanks was high throughout the year, generating incremental revenue for the Hess terminal network.

In 2009, Hess terminals in Baltimore, Maryland and in Syracuse, New York added renewable fuels blending capability, and our marine bunker fuels business added a port location in Charleston, South Carolina.

Hess Energy Marketing is a major supplier of natural gas, fuel oil and electricity to commercial, industrial and utility customers in the Eastern United States.

In 2009, natural gas volumes increased by nearly 3 percent and electricity volumes increased by more than 36 percent compared with 2008. Strong customer relationships and multi-commodity product offerings position Hess Energy Marketing for continued growth.

Hess is the leading independent gasoline convenience store retailer on the East Coast with 1,357 Hess branded locations.

Annual convenience store revenues in 2009, excluding petroleum products, were approximately $1.2 billion, an increase of more than 10 percent from 2008. During the year, the company acquired 11 gasoline-convenience stores in Cape Cod, increasing our market presence in Massachusetts. We expanded our Dunkin’ Donuts offering to 367 Hess and WilcoHess locations by the end of 2009.