Kern Oil & Refining
Kern Energy is a family-owned independent oil refinery in Bakersfield, California, producing CARB-compliant gasoline, ultra-low sulfur diesel, and renewable diesel/biodiesel blends for agricultural and trucking customers in the San Joaquin Valley market.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1934
- HeadquartersBakersfield, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kern Oil & Refining does
Kern Energy (formerly Kern Oil & Refining Co.) is a family-owned independent oil refinery headquartered in Bakersfield, California, that has operated continuously in the San Joaquin Valley since 1934. The company operates a single integrated refinery processing up to 27,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing CARB Reformulated Gasoline and CARB Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel at a daily average of 420,000 gallons each, for a combined daily output exceeding 840,000 gallons. Beyond conventional petroleum products, Kern has built a renewable fuel capability that includes ethanol-blended gasoline (10% ethanol since 1996), biomass co-processing for renewable diesel (since 2003, the second U.S. refinery to do so), biodiesel blending up to 5% (since 2012), and a B20 biodiesel blend (since 2017) targeted at agricultural and trucking customers.
The company's technology stack is industrial-process focused rather than digital, centered on petroleum refining, hydroprocessing, sulfur recovery, cogeneration, and renewable fuel co-processing capabilities. Revenue is generated through transaction-based sales of finished fuel products at market rates to the independent San Joaquin Valley market, supplemented by by-products such as sulfur and specialty petroleum products (kerosene, mixed LPG, AGO, PS1500, R100). Kern sells directly to mid-market and enterprise customers in the agricultural and trucking sectors via pipeline distribution, Union Pacific rail transport, and direct delivery, operating a Supply, Marketing & Logistics division that also purchases crude feedstocks. Kern holds roughly 1% of California gasoline and 2% of California diesel market share and is positioned as a critical supplier to California's southern Central Valley, with no public listing, no institutional investors, and 185 full-time employees under President & CEO Jennifer Haley.
Kern Oil & Refining firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kern Oil & Refining
- Legal name
- Kern Energy
- Website
- https://kernenergy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1934
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Kern Energy is a family-owned independent oil refinery in Bakersfield, California, producing CARB-compliant gasoline, ultra-low sulfur diesel, and renewable diesel/biodiesel blends for agricultural and trucking customers in the San Joaquin Valley market.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kern Oil & Refining industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Petroleum Refining / Transportation Fuels
- NAICS
- Petroleum Refineries (324110), All Other Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (324199)
- SIC
- Petroleum Refining (2911), Miscellaneous Products Of Petroleum & Coal (2990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refinery Blending & Product Quality Control (Gasoline/Diesel/Jet Blending, Additives) (EUALAGAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Distillation & Fractionation (Crude, Condensate & NGL Splitters) (EUALAGAD), Biofuel Upgrading, Hydrotreating & Refining (Co-processing, Isomerization) (EUAAAHAG), Renewable Diesel (HVO/HEFA) Production (EUAAAHAD), Biofuels & Renewable Fuels Switching (Biomethane/RNG, Bio-oils, Sustainable Biomass) (EUABAJAD)
Keywords
Where Kern Oil & Refining is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bakersfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kern Oil & Refining business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Petroleum Fuel Sales: Refining crude oil and selling finished petroleum products including gasoline and diesel fuel to the California market
- Renewable Fuel Sales: Production and sale of renewable diesel, biodiesel blends (including B20), and ethanol-blended gasoline
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Commodity fuel products sold at market rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Kern Oil & Refining product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kern Oil & Refining (operating as Kern Energy) is a family-owned independent oil refinery that processes up to 27,000 barrels of crude oil per day into California Clean transportation fuels. The refinery produces CARB Reformulated Gasoline and CARB Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (each at approximately 420,000 gallons daily), along with renewable diesel co-processed from biomass, biodiesel blends (up to 5% and B20), and ethanol-blended gasoline. It supplies these fuels primarily to agricultural operations, trucking customers, and the independent fuel market in California's San Joaquin Valley.
Product overview
Kern Energy (formerly Kern Oil & Refining Co.) operates as a small, family-owned refinery producing 'California Clean' transportation fuels. The company operates a single integrated refinery producing petroleum and renewable fuels. The core product portfolio includes CARB Reformulated Gasoline and CARB Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (each at 420,000 gallons daily), supplemented by renewable fuel products including ethanol-blended gasoline (10%), biodiesel blend (up to 5%), renewable diesel blend (up to 5%), and B20 biodiesel blend (20%). The refinery processes up to 27,000 barrels per day of crude oil. Additional products include specialty petroleum products documented via Safety Data Sheets: Biodiesel, No. 2 Diesel, Gasoline, Kerosene, Mixed LPG, AGO, PS1500, Sulfur, and R100. The company emphasizes its renewable fuel innovation, including being the second refinery in the U.S. to produce renewable diesel by co-processing bio-feed.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CARB Reformulated Gasoline California Air Resources Board reformulated gasoline meeting California's stringent emissions standards, produced at 420,000 gallons daily average. Sold to wholesale fuel distributors and end users in California.
- CARB Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel California Air Resources Board ultra-low sulfur diesel meeting California's stringent emissions standards, produced at 420,000 gallons daily average. Sold for agricultural equipment, commercial trucking, and other diesel-powered applications.
- Ethanol-Blended Gasoline Finished gasoline blended with 10% ethanol for reduced emissions. Sold to wholesale fuel distributors and end users in California.
- Renewable Diesel Blend Finished diesel fuel blended with up to 5% renewable diesel produced via biomass co-processing. Sold to customers seeking lower-carbon diesel alternatives in California.
- Biodiesel Blend (up to 5%) Finished diesel fuel blended with up to 5% biodiesel. Sold as a renewable-content diesel fuel in California.
- B20 Biodiesel Blend
Quantifiable outcome
- Produces over 750,000 gallons (420,000 gallons each of CARB Reformulated Gasoline and CARB Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel) daily
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kern Oil & Refining
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Kern Oil & Refining technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Kern Oil & Refining partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kern Oil & Refining competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Valero Energy: Major U.S. refiner with California operations including Benicia and Wilmington refineries. Produces CARB-compliant gasoline and renewable diesel at much larger scale, representing the dominant incumbent in Kern's addressable market.
- Marathon Petroleum: Large integrated refiner with significant California presence (Martinez and Carson refineries). Competes with Kern in CARB-compliant fuel production at significantly larger scale, though focused on broader national operations.
- Delek US Holdings: Independent refiner with multiple U.S. refineries including historical California exposure through Alon USA acquisition. Operates small-to-mid scale refineries with similar independent operator characteristics to Kern.
- PBF Energy: Independent refiner operating the Torrance refinery in California. Competes with Kern in West Coast refined product markets and has invested in renewable diesel capacity, representing a broader portfolio competitor with similar independent status.
- Phillips 66: Major refiner operating Wilmington and Santa Maria refineries in California. Produces transportation fuels including CARB-compliant gasoline and diesel, competing with Kern across the state but at substantially larger scale.
Emerging players
- Diamond Green Diesel (Darling Ingredients / Valero JV): Joint venture between Darling Ingredients and Valero producing renewable diesel at scale from animal fats and used cooking oil. Represents the large-scale renewable diesel producer competing for the same California renewable fuel demand that Kern addresses through co-processing.
- Neste: Global leader in renewable diesel production using hydrotreating of renewable feedstocks. Represents the dedicated renewable diesel scale player that Kern's co-processing capabilities compete against in the California renewable fuel market.
Direct peers
- World Oil Corp (formerly Paramount Petroleum): Small independent California refiner historically operating Paramount refinery. Similar scale and independent status to Kern, focusing on West Coast refined product markets with CARB-compliant fuel production.
- CVR Energy: Small-cap independent refiner operating refineries in Kansas and other regions. Similar small-scale, independent operator profile to Kern though focused on different geographic markets; useful comparable for independent refiner economics.
- San Joaquin Refining Company: Small independent refinery located in Bakersfield, California (same geographic market as Kern). Operates crude refining and produces transportation fuels for the San Joaquin Valley, making it the closest direct competitor in scale, geography, and product mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kern Oil & Refining social profiles
Digital presenceKern Oil & Refining financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kern Oil & Refining leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Kern Oil & Refining subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Kern Oil & Refining funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kern Oil & Refining M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kern Oil & Refining
What does Kern Oil & Refining do?
Kern Oil & Refining (operating as Kern Energy) is a family-owned independent oil refinery that processes up to 27,000 barrels of crude oil per day into California Clean transportation fuels. The refinery produces CARB Reformulated Gasoline and CARB Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (each at approximately 420,000 gallons daily), along with renewable diesel co-processed from biomass, biodiesel blends (up to 5% and B20), and ethanol-blended gasoline. It supplies these fuels primarily to agricultural operations, trucking customers, and the independent fuel market in California's San Joaquin Valley.
Is Kern Oil & Refining a public or private company?
Kern Oil & Refining is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kern Oil & Refining founded?
Kern Oil & Refining was founded in 1934. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Kern Oil & Refining based?
Kern Oil & Refining is headquartered in Bakersfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kern Oil & Refining make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Petroleum Fuel Sales are the primary driver. The others are renewable Fuel Sales.
Who are Kern Oil & Refining's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Valero Energy, Marathon Petroleum, Delek US Holdings, PBF Energy and Phillips 66. Emerging players are Diamond Green Diesel (Darling Ingredients / Valero JV) and Neste. Direct peers are World Oil Corp (formerly Paramount Petroleum), CVR Energy and San Joaquin Refining Company.
Does Kern Oil & Refining have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kern Oil & Refining.
What industry is Kern Oil & Refining in?
Kern Oil & Refining's product category is Petroleum Refining / Transportation Fuels. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALAGAJ, Refinery Blending & Product Quality Control (Gasoline/Diesel/Jet Blending, Additives), with a secondary code of EUALAGAD, Distillation & Fractionation (Crude, Condensate & NGL Splitters). Its NAICS code is 324110 and its SIC code is 2911.