Production has started at the North Dakota soybean processing complex where the resulting oil will be used as feedstock for renewable fuels, Marathon Petroleum Corp. and food processing company ADM said in a Nov. 14 news release.

The two companies jointly developed the $350 million Green Bison Soy Processing facility located in Spiritwood, North Dakota. The facility, which sources its soybeans from local and statewide growers, will produce about 600 million pounds of refined soybean oil annually, all of which will be used by Marathon.

“As we continue challenging ourselves to lead in sustainable energy, our joint venture with ADM not only strengthens our presence in North Dakota, but also gives us the opportunity to collaborate further with a world-class partner as we continue investing in a sustainable, energy-diverse future,” Dave Heppner, Marathon’s senior vice president of Strategy and Business Development, said in the release. “Green Bison Soy Processing’s Spiritwood facility is an important milestone in our ability to source and optimize logistically advantaged feedstock for our growing renewable fuels business.”

Soybeans processed at the facility, the first of its kind for North Dakota, will be used to create renewable diesel. The facility is in the commissioning and startup phase of processing soybeans for meal and oil, according to the news release.

Marathon delivered 2.4 billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2022, according to its latest sustainability report, avoiding nearly 10 million tonnes of CO2 transportation emissions.