The oil and gas extracted in Utah produces as much as 225,000 barrels a day, outpacing local consumption.
While some may complain about the five refineries located along the Wasatch Front, all have made substantial financial investments to produce what is called Tier 3 fuel, reducing sulfur content and facilitating cleaner air.
Tier 3 gas can reduce harmful emissions by up to 80% in newer vehicles and by up to 12% in older cars.
Sulfur content went from 300 parts per million to an average of 30 with an 80 parts per million cap under Tier 2 standards. Tier 3 drops that even lower to 10 parts per million.
This will make a significant dent in harmful emissions along the Wasatch Front, since the leading cause of pollution comes from tailpipes.
Anna Owens, Deseret News The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which administers the Clean Air Act, said that the Wasatch Front would benefit more than anywhere else in the country by using Tier 3 fuel. Vehicles account for about 50% of emissions polluting the atmosphere. But using Tier 3 fuel is a start toward better air quality in and around Salt Lake City, which often has bad air pollution days, especially during winter inversions.
The numbers behind oil and gas
Rikki Hrenko-Browning, president of the Utah Petroleum Association, said that the five refineries in Salt Lake and Davis counties are doing more than just reducing emissions.
They are producing dollars for schools and the local economy.
Numbers show that between 2019 and 2023, the contribution from oil and natural gas was nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to Salt Lake County, excluding payments to community impact boards.
Marathon Petroleum Company in Salt Lake City is pictured on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News As an example, five school districts in Salt Lake County received nearly $25 million from 2019 to 2023. Those funds went to Salt Lake, Granite, Canyons, Murray and Jordan school districts through the School Trust Lands Administration. A total of 257 public schools in Salt Lake County were aided by the refineries.
Additionally, the statewide tax and fee totals provided by property tax during those years amounted to $15.4 million.
Eliza Anderson, Deseret News “All the growth in Utah would not be possible without these refineries,” Hrenko-Browning said.
In addition, the downstream providers had to shell out nearly $2 million to the Utah Department of Transportation for gas and diesel tax.
Powering military and aviation travel
Many people think the refineries should be located in less populated areas and not on the Wasatch Front. But that would lead to huge logistical problems, according to the industry.
The refined product has a pipeline to the Salt Lake City International Airport, which depends on aviation fuel.
It also is the major source of fuel for the aircraft at Hill Air Force Base.
“The taxes paid by our refineries go to things like schools, public safety and roads,” said Hrenko-Browning. “The wages of those who work refining are among the highest in the state where our employees spend money on homes, in local restaurants, at car dealerships and in small businesses. Basically, the ripple effects from the success of our five refineries extend into nearly every aspect of our economy and our society.”