Edgar Filing: VALERO ENERGY CORP/TX

Form 424B5

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration File No. 333-202635

The information in this preliminary prospectus supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not an offer to sell these securities and are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion, dated March 10, 2015

Preliminary Prospectus Supplement

(To Prospectus dated March 10, 2015)

LOGO

Valero Energy Corporation

$ % Senior Notes due 2025

$ % Senior Notes due 2045

This is an offering of $ aggregate principal amount of our % Senior Notes due 2025 (the “2025 notes”) and $ aggregate principal amount of our % Senior Notes due 2045 (the “2045 notes” and, together with the 2025 notes, the “notes”). The 2025 notes will mature on , 2025 and the 2045 notes will mature on , 2045. Interest on the notes will be payable semi-annually on and of each year, commencing , 2015. We may redeem the notes in whole at any time or in part from time to time at the applicable redemption price described in this prospectus supplement. The notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Investing in the notes involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page S-1 of this prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Price to
Public⁽¹⁾

Underwriting
Discount

Proceeds to
Valero

Per 2025 note

Total

Per 2045 note

Total

(1)	Plus accrued interest, if any, from March , 2015.

The notes will not be listed on any securities exchange. Currently, there is no public market for the notes.

It is expected that delivery of the notes will be made to investors through the book-entry delivery system of The Depository Trust Company for the accounts of its participants, including Clearstream and Euroclear, on or about March , 2015.

Joint Book-Running Managers


Citigroup		Barclays		MUFG		Wells Fargo Securities

March , 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS


	Page

Prospectus Supplement

Valero Energy Corporation		1
Risk Factors		1
Use of Proceeds		1
Description of the Notes		2
Underwriting		8
Legal Matters		10

Prospectus


About This Prospectus			1
Where You Can Find More Information			1
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements			2
Risk Factors			4
Valero Energy Corporation			4
Use of Proceeds			4
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges			4
Description of Debt Securities			5
Description of Common Stock			12
Plan of Distribution			14
Legal Matters			15
Experts			15

No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us, and, if given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorized. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities other than the securities described in this prospectus supplement or an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. Neither the delivery of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus nor any sale made under this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has been no change in the affairs of Valero Energy Corporation since the date of this prospectus supplement or that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is correct as of any time subsequent to the date of such information.

As used in this prospectus supplement, the terms “Valero,” “we,” “us” and “our” may, depending upon the context, refer to Valero Energy Corporation, to one or more of its consolidated subsidiaries or to all of them taken as a whole.

VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION

We are a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, Texas. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “VLO.” We were incorporated in Delaware in 1981 under the name Valero Refining and Marketing Company. We changed our name to Valero Energy Corporation on August 1, 1997. On January 31, 2015, we had 10,065 employees.

Our 15 petroleum refineries are located in the United States (“U.S.”), Canada, and the United Kingdom (“U.K.”). Our refineries can produce conventional gasolines, premium gasolines, gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”), diesel fuel, low-sulfur diesel fuel, ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel, CARB diesel fuel, other distillates, jet fuel, asphalt, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined products. We market branded and unbranded refined products on a wholesale basis in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, the U.K., and Ireland through an extensive bulk and rack marketing network and through approximately 7,400 outlets that carry our brand names. We also own 11 ethanol plants in the central plains region of the U.S. that primarily produce ethanol, which we market on a wholesale basis through a bulk marketing network.

Our principal executive offices are located at One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, and our telephone number is (210) 345-2000.

RISK FACTORS

Investing in the notes involves risk. Before making an investment in the notes, you should carefully consider the risk factors identified in Part I, Item. 1A. “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, together with the other information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we have incorporated by reference.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds we will receive from this offering will be approximately $ after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated expenses of the offering payable by us. We anticipate using the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes.

S-1

DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES

The following description of the particular terms of the notes offered hereby (referred to in the accompanying prospectus as the debt securities) supplements, and to the extent inconsistent therewith replaces, the description of the general terms and provisions of the debt securities set forth in the accompanying prospectus, to which we refer you. The following summary of the notes is qualified in its entirety by reference to the indenture referred to in the accompanying prospectus.

General

The 2025 notes will constitute a separate series of debt securities under the indenture, initially limited to $ aggregate principal amount, and will mature on , 2025. The 2045 notes will constitute a separate series of debt securities under the indenture, initially limited to $ aggregate principal amount, and will mature on , 2045. We will issue the notes in fully registered book-entry form only, without coupons, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The indenture does not limit the aggregate principal amount of debt securities that may be issued thereunder and provides that debt securities may be issued thereunder from time to time in one or more additional series. The indenture does not limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness. We may “reopen” either series of notes and issue an unlimited principal amount of additional notes in the future without the consent of any holder of the notes; provided that if the additional notes are not fungible with the notes of a particular series for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the additional notes will have a separate CUSIP number.

The 2025 notes and the 2045 notes will bear interest at the respective rates per annum shown on the cover page of this prospectus supplement from , 2015 or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or provided for, payable semi-annually on and of each year, commencing , 2015, to the persons in whose names such notes are registered at the close of business on the or prior to such interest payment date. Interest on the notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. If any interest payment date, redemption date or maturity date of any note falls on a day that is not a business day, then payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest will be made on the next succeeding business day. No interest will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from such interest payment date, redemption date or maturity date, as the case may be, to the date payment is made.

The notes will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

The notes will be unsecured, rank equally with all the existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated debt of Valero, be senior to any future subordinated debt and be effectively junior to any secured debt and to all existing and future debt and other liabilities of our subsidiaries.

Optional Redemption

Each series of notes will be redeemable, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, and at our option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

•

100% of the principal amount of the applicable series of notes to be redeemed, or

•

the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of the redemption date) discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate, plus basis points with respect to the 2025 notes and basis points with respect to the 2045 notes, as calculated by an Independent Investment Banker,

plus, in either of the above cases, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the redemption date; provided that the principal amount of a note outstanding after redemption in part shall be $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

S-2

“Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date:

•

the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the remaining life, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue shall be determined and the Adjusted Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month); or

•

if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

The Adjusted Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the third business day preceding the redemption date.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such notes (remaining life).

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date:

•

the average of five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or

•

if the Independent Investment Banker obtains fewer than five such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by us to act as the Independent Investment Banker from time to time.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means:

•

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Barclays Capital Inc. or their respective successors, provided that, if any of the foregoing ceases to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer (a “primary treasury dealer”), we will substitute another primary treasury dealer, and two other primary treasury dealers selected by each of Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC or their respective successors; and

•

any other primary treasury dealer selected by us.

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

We will mail a notice of redemption at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each holder of notes to be redeemed. If we elect to partially redeem the notes of a series, the trustee will select in a fair and appropriate manner the notes of that series to be redeemed.

Unless we default in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

S-3

Book-Entry System, Form and Delivery

We have obtained the information in this section concerning The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), Clearstream Banking, S.A., Luxembourg (“Clearstream”) and Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”) and their book-entry systems and procedures from sources that we believe to be reliable. We take no responsibility for an accurate portrayal of this information. In addition, the description of the clearing systems in this section reflects our understanding of the rules and procedures of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear as they are currently in effect. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time.

The notes will initially be represented by one or more fully registered global notes. Each such global note will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC or any successor thereto and registered in the name of Cede & Co. (DTC’s nominee). You may hold your interests in the global notes in the U.S. through DTC, or in Europe through Clearstream or Euroclear, either as a participant in such systems or indirectly through organizations which are participants in such systems. Clearstream and Euroclear will hold interests in the global notes on behalf of their respective participating organizations or customers through customers’ securities accounts in Clearstream’s, Luxembourg’s or Euroclear’s names on the books of their respective depositaries, which in turn will hold those positions in customers’ securities accounts in the depositaries’ names on the books of DTC.

So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of the global securities representing the notes, DTC or such nominee will be considered the sole owner and holder of the notes for all purposes of the notes and the indenture. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in the notes will not be entitled to have the notes registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the notes in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the notes under the indenture, including for purposes of receiving any reports delivered by us or the trustee pursuant to the indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a note must rely on the procedures of DTC or its nominee and, if such person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which such person owns its interest, in order to exercise any rights of a holder of notes.

Unless and until we issue the notes in fully certificated, registered form under the limited circumstances described below under the heading “—Certificated Notes”:

•

you will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing your interest in the notes;

•

all references in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus to actions by holders will refer to actions taken by DTC upon instructions from its direct participants; and

•

all references in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus to payments and notices to holders will refer to payments and notices to DTC or Cede & Co., as the registered holder of the notes, for distribution to you in accordance with DTC procedures.

We have provided the descriptions of the operations and procedures of DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear in this prospectus supplement solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of those organizations and are subject to change by them from time to time. None of us, the underwriters or the trustee takes any responsibility for these operations or procedures, and you are urged to contact DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear or their participants directly to discuss these matters.

The Depository Trust Company

DTC will act as securities depositary for the notes. DTC is:

•

a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law;

•

a “banking organization” under the New York Banking Law;

•

a member of the Federal Reserve System;

•

a “clearing corporation” under the New York Uniform Commercial Code; and

•

a “clearing agency” registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act.

S-4

DTC holds securities that its direct participants deposit with DTC. DTC facilitates the settlement among direct participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in direct participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates.

Direct participants of DTC include securities brokers and dealers (including the underwriters), banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. DTC is owned by a number of its direct participants. Indirect participants of DTC, such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies, can also access the DTC system if they maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant.

Purchases of notes under DTC’s system must be made by or through direct participants, which will receive a credit for the notes on DTC’s records. The ownership interest of each beneficial owner is in turn to be recorded on the records of direct participants and indirect participants. Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase, but beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the direct participants or indirect participants through which such beneficial owners entered into the transaction. Transfers of ownership interests in the notes are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners. Beneficial owners will not receive certificates representing their ownership interests in notes, except as provided below in “—Certificated Notes.”

To facilitate subsequent transfers, all notes deposited with DTC are registered in the name of DTC’s nominee, Cede & Co. The deposit of notes with DTC and their registration in the name of Cede & Co. effect no change in beneficial ownership. DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the notes. DTC’s records reflect only the identity of the direct participants to whose accounts such notes are credited, which may or may not be the beneficial owners. The participants will remain responsible for keeping account of their holdings on behalf of their customers.

Conveyance of notices and other communications by DTC to direct participants, by direct participants to indirect participants and by direct participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners will be governed by arrangements among them, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time.

The laws of some jurisdictions may require that purchasers of securities take physical delivery of those securities in definitive form. Accordingly, the ability to transfer interests in the notes represented by a global note to those persons may be limited. In addition, because DTC can act only on behalf of its participants, who in turn act on behalf of persons who hold interests through participants, the ability of a person having an interest in notes represented by a global note to pledge or transfer those interests to persons or entities that do not participate in DTC’s system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of such interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical definitive security in respect of such interest.

Book-Entry Format; Clearance and Settlement Procedures

Under the book-entry format, the paying agent will pay interest or principal payments to Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC. DTC will forward the payment to the direct participants, who will then forward the payment to the indirect participants (including Clearstream or Euroclear) or to you as the beneficial owner. You may experience some delay in receiving your payments under this system. Neither we, the trustee nor any paying agent has any direct responsibility or liability for the payment of principal or interest on the notes to owners of beneficial interests in the notes.

DTC is required to make book-entry transfers on behalf of its direct participants and is required to receive and transmit payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the notes. Any direct participant or indirect participant with which you have an account is similarly required to make book-entry transfers and to receive and transmit payments with respect to the notes on your behalf. We and the trustee have no responsibility for any aspect of the actions of DTC, Clearstream or Euroclear or any of their direct or indirect participants. In addition, we and the trustee have no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records kept by DTC, Clearstream, Euroclear or any of their

S-5

direct or indirect participants relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the notes or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests. We also do not supervise these systems in any way.

The trustee will not recognize you as a holder under the indenture, and you can only exercise the rights of a holder indirectly through DTC and its direct participants. DTC has advised us that it will only take action regarding a note if one or more of the direct participants to whom the note is credited directs DTC to take such action and only in respect of the portion of the aggregate principal amount of the notes as to which that participant or participants has or have given that direction. DTC can only act on behalf of its direct participants.

Neither DTC nor Cede & Co. (nor such other DTC nominee) will consent or vote with respect to the notes unless authorized by a direct participant in accordance with DTC’s procedures. Under its usual procedures, DTC will mail an omnibus proxy to us as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those direct participants to whose accounts the notes are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy).

Clearstream or Euroclear will credit payments to the cash accounts of Clearstream customers or Euroclear participants in accordance with the relevant system’s rules and procedures, to the extent received by its depositary. These payments will be subject to tax reporting in accordance with relevant U.S. tax laws and regulations. Clearstream or the Euroclear Operator, as the case may be, will take any other action permitted to be taken by a holder under the indenture on behalf of a Clearstream customer or Euroclear participant only in accordance with its relevant rules and procedures and subject to its depositary’s ability to effect those actions on its behalf through DTC.

Transfers Within and Among Book-Entry Systems

Initial settlement for the notes will be made in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading between DTC participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC rules and will be settled in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading between Clearstream customers and/or Euroclear participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with the applicable rules and operating procedures of Clearstream and Euroclear and will be settled using the procedures applicable to conventional eurobonds in immediately available funds.

DTC will effect cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly through DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through Clearstream customers or Euroclear participants, on the other hand, in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European international clearing system by its depositary. However, cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing system by the counterparty in that system in accordance with its rules and procedures and within its established deadlines (European time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, instruct its depositary to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving securities in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Clearstream customers and Euroclear participants may not deliver instructions directly to the depositaries.

Because of time-zone differences, credits of securities received in Clearstream or Euroclear resulting from a transaction with a DTC direct participant will be made during the subsequent securities settlement processing, dated the business day following the DTC settlement date. Those credits or any transactions in those securities settled during that processing will be reported to the relevant Clearstream customer or Euroclear participant on that business day. Cash received in Clearstream or Euroclear as a result of sales of securities by or through a Clearstream customer or a Euroclear participant to a DTC direct participant will be received with value on the DTC settlement date but will be available in the relevant Clearstream or Euroclear cash amount only as of the business day following settlement in DTC.

Although DTC, Clearstream and Euroclear has agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of debt securities among their respective participants, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures and such procedures may be discontinued at any time.

S-6

Certificated Notes

Unless and until they are exchanged, in whole or in part, for notes in definitive form in accordance with the terms of the notes, the notes may not be transferred except (1) as a whole by DTC to a nominee of DTC or (2) by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC or (3) by DTC or any such nominee to a successor of DTC or a nominee of such successor.

We will issue certificated notes to each person that DTC identifies as the beneficial owner of the notes represented by the global notes upon surrender by DTC of the global notes if:

•

DTC notifies us that it is no longer willing or able to act as a depositary for the global notes, and we have not appointed a successor depositary within 90 days of that notice;

•

an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and DTC requests the issuance of certificated notes; or

•

we determine not to have the notes represented by a global note.

Neither we nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC, its nominee or any direct or indirect participant in identifying the beneficial owners of the related notes. We and the trustee may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from DTC or its nominee for all purposes, including with respect to the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the notes to be issued.

The Trustee

The trustee under the indenture is U.S. Bank National Association. The trustee or its affiliates may make loans to, accept deposits from and perform other routine banking services for us and our affiliates in the normal course of business.

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UNDERWRITING

Subject to the terms and conditions contained in an underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus supplement, we have agreed to sell to each of the underwriters named below, severally, and each of the underwriters has severally agreed to purchase from us, the respective principal amounts of the notes listed opposite its name below.


Underwriter	Principal Amount of 2025 Notes	Principal Amount of 2045 Notes
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.	$	$
Barclays Capital Inc.
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc.
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

Total	$	$

Under the terms and conditions of the underwriting agreement, if the underwriters take any of the notes, then the underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the notes.

Each series of notes is a new issue of securities with no established trading market and will not be listed on any securities exchange. The underwriters have advised us that they intend to make a market of the notes, but they have no obligation to do so and may discontinue market making at any time without providing notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of any trading market for the notes.

The underwriters initially propose to offer the notes directly to the public at the offering prices described on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and may offer the notes to certain dealers at a price that represents a concession not in excess of % of the principal amount in the case of the 2025 notes and % of the principal amount in the case of the 2045 notes. Any underwriter may allow, and any such dealer may reallow, a concession to certain other dealers not in excess of % of the principal amount in the case of the 2025 notes and % of the principal amount in the case of the 2045 notes. After the initial offering of the notes, the underwriters may from time to time vary the offering price and other selling terms.

We have also agreed to indemnify the underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or to contribute to payments which the underwriters may be required to make in respect of any such liabilities.

In connection with the offering of the notes, the underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the notes. Specifically, the underwriters may overallot in connection with the offering of the notes, creating a syndicate short position. In addition, the underwriters may bid for, and purchase, notes in the open market to cover syndicate short positions or to stabilize the price of the notes. Finally, the underwriting syndicate may reclaim selling concessions allowed for distributing the notes in this offering, if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed notes in syndicate covering transactions, stabilization transactions or otherwise. Any of these activities may stabilize or maintain the market price of the notes above independent market levels. The underwriters are not required to engage in any of these activities, and may end any of them at any time.

Expenses associated with this offering (excluding the underwriting discount), to be paid by us, are estimated to be $ .

The underwriters are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The underwriters and their respective affiliates have in the past performed commercial banking, investment banking and advisory services for us from time to time for which they have received customary fees and reimbursement of expenses and may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business for which they may receive customary fees and reimbursement

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of expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (which may include bank loans and/or credit default swaps) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers and may at any time hold long and short positions in such securities and instruments. Such investment and securities activities may involve our securities and instruments. If the underwriters or their affiliates have a lending relationship with us, certain of those underwriters or their affiliates may hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, the underwriters and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities or the securities of our affiliates, including potentially the notes offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the notes offered hereby. The underwriters and certain of their affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

European Economic Area

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), each underwriter has represented and agreed that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”) it has not made and will not make an offer of notes that are the subject of the offering contemplated by this prospectus supplement to the public in that Relevant Member State other than:

•

to any legal entity that is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive;

•

to fewer than 100 or, if the Relevant Member State has implemented the relevant provision of the 2010 PD Amending Directive, 150, natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive), as permitted under the Prospectus Directive, subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or

•

in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive,

provided that no such offer of notes shall require Valero Energy Corporation or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the notes, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State, the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including the 2010 PD Amending Directive, to the extent implemented in the Relevant Member State), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State and the expression “2010 PD Amending Directive” means Directive 2010/73/EU.

United Kingdom

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:

•

it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the notes in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to Valero Energy Corporation; and

•

it has complied with, and will comply with, all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

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LEGAL MATTERS

Baker Botts L.L.P., Houston, Texas will pass on the validity of the notes offered in this prospectus supplement. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, New York, New York will pass upon some legal matters for the underwriters in connection with this offering.

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Prospectus

LOGO

Valero Energy Corporation

One Valero Way

San Antonio, Texas 78249

(210) 345-2000

Senior Debt Securities

Common Stock

We may offer from time to time our senior debt securities and our common stock. We will provide additional terms of our securities in one or more supplements to this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the related prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in our securities. No person may use this prospectus to offer and sell our securities unless a prospectus supplement accompanies this prospectus.

Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “VLO.”

Investing in our securities involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page 4 of this prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is March 10, 2015.

Table of Contents


About This Prospectus			1
Where You Can Find More Information			1
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements			2
Risk Factors			4
Valero Energy Corporation			4
Use of Proceeds			4
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges			4
Description of Debt Securities			5
Description of Common Stock			12
Plan of Distribution			14
Legal Matters			15
Experts			15

About This Prospectus

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the United States (“U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Using this process, we may offer the securities this prospectus describes in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we use this prospectus to offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement and, if applicable, a pricing supplement that will describe the specific terms of the offering. The prospectus supplement and any pricing supplement may also add to, update or change the information contained in this prospectus. Please carefully read this prospectus, the prospectus supplement and any pricing supplement together with the information contained in the documents we refer to under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any pricing supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of the securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any pricing supplement is accurate only as of the date on its cover page and that any information we have incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since such date.

As used in this prospectus, the terms “Valero,” “we,” “us” and “our” may, depending upon the context, refer to Valero Energy Corporation, to one or more of its consolidated subsidiaries or to all of them taken as a whole.

Where You Can Find More Information

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You can read and copy these materials at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can obtain information about the operation of the SEC’s public reference room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet site that contains information we have filed electronically with the SEC, which you can access over the Internet at http://www.sec.gov. You can also obtain information about us at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement we have filed with the SEC relating to the securities we may offer. As permitted by SEC rules, this prospectus does not contain all the information we have included in the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits and schedules we have filed with the SEC. You may refer to the registration statement, exhibits and schedules for more information about us and the securities. The registration statement, exhibits and schedules are available at the SEC’s public reference room or through its Internet site.

We are incorporating by reference information we file with the SEC, which means that we are disclosing important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information we incorporate by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) until the termination of this offering. The documents we incorporate by reference are:

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our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014;

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the information included in our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed on March 21, 2014, to the extent incorporated by reference in Part III of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013;

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our current report on Form 8-K filed on January 30, 2015; and

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the description of our common stock contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A, as may be amended from time to time to update that description.

You may request a copy of these filings, other than an exhibit to these filings unless we have specifically incorporated that exhibit by reference into the filing, at no cost, by writing to us or calling us at the following address or telephone number:

Valero Energy Corporation

One Valero Way

San Antonio, Texas 78249

Attention: Investor Relations

Telephone: (210) 345-2744

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement, including the information we incorporate by reference, include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. You can identify our forward-looking statements by the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” “project,” “projection,” “predict,” “budget,” “forecast,” “goal,” “guidance,” “target,” “could,” “should,” “may” and similar expressions.

These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding:

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future refining margins, including gasoline and distillate margins;

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future ethanol margins;

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expectations regarding feedstock costs, including crude oil differentials, and operating expenses;

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anticipated levels of crude oil and refined product inventories;

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our anticipated level of capital investments, including deferred refinery turnaround and catalyst costs and capital expenditures for environmental and other purposes, and the effect of these capital investments on our results of operations;

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anticipated trends in the supply of and demand for crude oil and other feedstocks and refined products in the regions where we operate, as well as globally;

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expectations regarding environmental, tax and other regulatory initiatives; and

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the effect of general economic and other conditions on refining and ethanol industry fundamentals.

We based our forward-looking statements on our current expectations, estimates and projections about ourselves and our industry. We caution that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that we cannot predict. In addition, we based many of these forward-looking statements on assumptions about future events that may prove to be inaccurate. Accordingly, our actual results may differ materially from the future performance that we have expressed or forecast in the forward-looking statements. Differences between actual results and any future performance suggested in these forward-looking statements could result from a variety of factors, including the following:

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acts of terrorism aimed at either our facilities or other facilities that could impair our ability to produce or transport refined products or receive feedstocks;

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political and economic conditions in nations that produce crude oil or consume refined products;

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demand for, and supplies of, refined products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, petrochemicals and ethanol;

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demand for, and supplies of, crude oil and other feedstocks;

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the ability of the members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to agree on and to maintain crude oil price and production controls;

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the level of consumer demand, including seasonal fluctuations;

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refinery overcapacity or undercapacity;

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our ability to successfully integrate any acquired businesses into our operations;

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the actions taken by competitors, including both pricing and adjustments to refining capacity in response to market conditions;

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the level of competitors’ imports into markets that we supply;

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accidents, unscheduled shutdowns or other catastrophes affecting our refineries, machinery, pipelines, equipment and information systems, or those of our suppliers or customers;

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changes in the cost or availability of transportation for feedstocks and refined products;

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the price, availability and acceptance of alternative fuels and alternative-fuel vehicles;

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the levels of government subsidies for alternative fuels;

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the volatility in the market price of biofuel credits (primarily Renewable Identification Numbers needed to comply with the U.S. federal Renewable Fuel Standard);

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delay of, cancellation of, or failure to implement planned capital projects and realize the various assumptions and benefits projected for such projects or cost overruns in constructing such planned capital projects;

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earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and irregular weather, which can unforeseeably affect the price or availability of natural gas, crude oil, grain and other feedstocks, and refined products and ethanol;

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rulings, judgments or settlements in litigation or other legal or regulatory matters, including unexpected environmental remediation costs, in excess of any reserves or insurance coverage;

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legislative or regulatory action, including the introduction or enactment of legislation or rulemakings by governmental authorities, including tax and environmental regulations, such as those implemented under the California Global Warming Solutions Act (also known as AB 32), Quebec’s Regulation respecting the cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gas emission allowances (the Quebec cap-and-trade system), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of greenhouse gases, which may adversely affect our business or operations;

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changes in the credit ratings assigned to our debt securities and trade credit;

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changes in currency exchange rates, including the value of the Canadian dollar, the pound sterling, and the euro relative to the U.S. dollar;

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overall economic conditions, including the stability and liquidity of financial markets; and

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other factors generally described in the “Risk Factors” section included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, as those risk factors are amended or supplemented by subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other reports and documents we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus that are incorporated by reference herein.

Any one of these factors, or a combination of these factors, could materially affect our future results of operations and whether any forward-looking statements ultimately prove to be accurate. Our forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future performance may differ materially from those suggested in any forward-looking statements. We do not intend to update these statements unless we are required by the securities laws to do so.

Risk Factors

Investing in our securities involves significant risks. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks and other information we include or incorporate by reference in this prospectus. In particular, you should consider the risk factors set forth in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, as those risk factors are amended or supplemented by subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other reports and documents we file with the SEC after the date of this prospectus that are incorporated by reference herein. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations. Additional risk factors may be included in a prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering of securities.

Valero Energy Corporation

We are a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, Texas. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “VLO.” We were incorporated in Delaware in 1981 under the name Valero Refining and Marketing Company. We changed our name to Valero Energy Corporation on August 1, 1997. On January 31, 2015, we had 10,065 employees.

Our 15 petroleum refineries are located in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom (“U.K.”). Our refineries can produce conventional gasolines, premium gasolines, gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”), diesel fuel, low-sulfur diesel fuel, ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel, CARB diesel fuel, other distillates, jet fuel, asphalt, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined products. We market branded and unbranded refined products on a wholesale basis in the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, the U.K., and Ireland through an extensive bulk and rack marketing network and through approximately 7,400 outlets that carry our brand names. We also own 11 ethanol plants in the central plains region of the U.S. that primarily produce ethanol, which we market on a wholesale basis through a bulk marketing network.

Our principal executive offices are located at One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas, 78249, and our telephone number is (210) 345-2000.

Use of Proceeds

We intend to use the net proceeds from the sales of the securities for general corporate purposes unless otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges

Our ratios of earnings to fixed charges for each of the periods indicated are as follows:


	Years Ended December 31, ^(a)
	2014		2013		2012		2011		2010
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges		9.0		6.6		7.2		5.7		3.3

(a)	The results of operations of the Aruba Refinery have been reported as discontinued operations for all years presented.

We have computed the ratio of earnings to fixed charges by dividing earnings by fixed charges. For these purposes, earnings consist of income from continuing operations before income tax expense and fixed charges

(excluding interest capitalized), with certain other adjustments. Fixed charges consist of interest, whether expensed or capitalized, debt expense and one-third (the proportion deemed representative of the interest factor) of rental expense.

Description of Debt Securities

The debt securities covered by this prospectus will be our general senior unsecured obligations. We will issue the debt securities under the Indenture dated as of March 10, 2015 between us and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, which we refer to herein as the “indenture.” We have summarized selected provisions of the indenture and the debt securities below. This summary is not complete. For a complete description, we encourage you to read the indenture. We have filed the indenture with the SEC, and we will include any other instrument establishing the terms of any debt securities we offer as exhibits to a filing we will make with the SEC in connection with that offering. Please read “Where You Can Find More Information.”

In this summary description of the debt securities, unless we state otherwise or the context clearly indicates otherwise, all references to “we,” “us,” “our” or “Valero” are references to Valero Energy Corporation only.

Ranking

The debt securities will constitute senior debt and will rank equally with all of our unsecured and unsubordinated debt. The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that can be issued under the indenture or the amount of additional indebtedness we or any of our subsidiaries may incur. We may issue debt securities under the indenture from time to time in one or more series, each in an amount we authorize prior to issuance. The trustee will authenticate and deliver debt securities executed and delivered to it by us as set forth in the indenture.

We are organized as a holding company that owns subsidiary companies. Our subsidiary companies conduct substantially all of our business. The holding company structure results in two principal risks:

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Our subsidiaries may be restricted by contractual provisions or applicable laws from providing us the cash that we need to pay parent company debt service obligations, including payments on the debt securities.

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In any liquidation, reorganization or insolvency proceeding involving us, your claim as a holder of the debt securities will be effectively junior to the claims of holders of any indebtedness or preferred stock of our subsidiaries.

Terms

The prospectus supplement relating to any series of debt securities we are offering will include specific terms relating to that offering. These terms will include some or all of the following:

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the title of the debt securities;

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any limit on the total principal amount of the debt securities;

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the date or dates on which the principal of the debt securities will be payable;

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any interest rate, or the method of determining the interest rate, on the debt securities, the date from which interest will accrue, interest payment dates and record dates;

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any right to defer interest payments by extending the interest payment periods and the duration of the extension;

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if other than as set forth in this prospectus, the place or places where payments on the debt securities will be payable;

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any optional redemption provisions;

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any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to redeem or purchase the debt securities;

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any provisions for the remarketing of the debt securities;

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any changes or additions to the events of default or covenants;

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whether we will issue the debt securities in individual certificates to each holder in registered or bearer form, or in the form of temporary or permanent global securities held by a depositary on behalf of holders;

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the denominations in which we will issue the debt securities, if other than minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof;

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the terms of any right to convert debt securities into shares of our common stock or other securities or property;

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whether payments on the debt securities will be payable in foreign currency or currency units (including composite currencies) or another form;

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any provisions that would determine the amount of principal, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the debt securities by references to an index or pursuant to a formula;

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the portion of the principal amount of the debt securities that will be payable if the maturity is accelerated, if other than the entire principal amount;

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any limit on our right to pay dividends on, make distributions with respect to, redeem or purchase any of our capital stock; and

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any other terms of the debt securities not inconsistent with the indenture.

We may sell the debt securities at a discount, which may be substantial, below their stated principal amount. These debt securities may bear no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below market rates. We will describe in the prospectus supplement any material U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to those securities.

If we sell any of the debt securities for any foreign currency or currency unit or if payments on the debt securities are payable in any foreign currency or currency unit, we will describe in the prospectus supplement the restrictions, elections, tax consequences, specific terms and other information relating to those debt securities and the foreign currency or currency unit.

Restrictive Covenants

We have agreed to two principal restrictions on our activities for the benefit of holders of the debt securities. Unless waived or amended, the restrictive covenants summarized below will apply to a series of debt securities issued under the indenture as long as any of those debt securities is outstanding, unless the prospectus supplement for the series states otherwise. We have used in this summary description terms that we have defined below under “— Glossary.”

Limitations on Liens

We have agreed that when any debt securities are outstanding neither we nor any of our Subsidiaries will create or assume any liens upon any of our receivables or other assets or any asset, stock or indebtedness of any of our Subsidiaries unless those debt securities are secured equally and ratably with or prior to the debt secured by the lien. This covenant has exceptions that permit:

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subject to certain limitations, any lien created to secure all or part of the purchase price of any property or to secure a loan made to finance the acquisition of the property described in such lien;

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subject to certain limitations, any lien existing on any property at the time of its acquisition or any lien created on property acquired or constructed by us not later than 12 months thereafter;

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subject to certain limitations, any lien created in connection with the operation or use of any property acquired or constructed by us and created within 12 months after the acquisition, construction or commencement of full operations on the property;

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any mechanic’s or materialmen’s lien or any lien related to workmen’s compensation or other insurance;

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any lien arising by reason of deposits with or the giving of any form of security to any governmental agency, including for taxes and other governmental charges;

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liens for taxes or charges which are not delinquent or are being contested in good faith;

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liens due to zoning, planning and environmental laws and ordinances and governmental regulations; minor defects or irregularities in or encumbrances on the titles to properties which in the aggregate do not materially impair the use of our property; easements, exceptions or reservations in any of our property granted or reserved for the purpose of pipelines, roads, telecommunication equipment and cable, streets, alleys, highways, railroad purposes, the removal of oil, gas, coal or other minerals or timber, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real property, facilities and equipment, which do not materially impair the use of our property, or materially detract from the value of the property subject thereto;

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any judgment lien the execution of which has been stayed or which has been adequately appealed and secured;

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any lien incidental to the conduct of our business which was not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money or the obtaining of advances or credit and which does not materially interfere with the conduct of our business;

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any intercompany lien;

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any lien on current assets created to secure indebtedness and letter of credit reimbursement obligations incurred in connection with the extension of working capital financing;

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any lien existing on the date of the indenture;

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liens incurred in connection with the borrowing of funds, if such funds are used within 120 days to repay indebtedness of at least an equal amount secured by a lien on our property having a fair market value at least equal to the fair market value of the property securing the new lien;

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liens incurred within 90 days (or any longer period, not in excess of one year, as permitted by law) after acquisition of the property subject to such lien arising solely in connection with the transfer of tax benefits in accordance with any provisions of law similar to former Section 168(f)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954;

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subject to an aggregate limit of $200 million, any lien on cash, cash equivalents or other account holdings securing derivative obligations; or

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subject to an aggregate limit of 10% of our consolidated net tangible assets, any liens not otherwise permitted by any of the other exceptions set forth in the indenture.

Limitations on Sale/Leaseback Transactions

We have agreed that neither we nor our Subsidiaries will enter into any sale/leaseback transactions with regard to any principal property, providing for the leasing back to us or a Subsidiary by a third party for a period of more than three years of any asset which has been or is to be sold or transferred by us or such Subsidiary to such third party or to any other person. This covenant has exceptions that permit transactions of this nature under the following circumstances:

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we would be entitled, pursuant to the “Limitations on Liens” covenant described above, to incur indebtedness secured by a lien on the property to be leased, without equally and ratably securing the debt securities then outstanding; or

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within 120 days after the effective date of such sale/leaseback transaction, we apply an amount equal to the value of such transaction, subject to certain limitations:

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to the voluntary retirement of funded debt, or

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to the purchase of another principal property.

In addition, we are permitted to enter into sale/leaseback transactions (i) with Valero Energy Partners GP LLC, Valero Energy Partners LP and their respective Subsidiaries and (ii) in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding, together with indebtedness secured by liens permitted by the last bullet discussed under the “Limitations on Liens” covenant described above, 10% of our consolidated net tangible assets.

Glossary

We define the following terms in the indenture. We use them here with the same definitions. Generally accepted accounting principles should be used to determine all items in this section, unless otherwise indicated.

“Consolidated net tangible assets” means the total amount of assets shown on a consolidated balance sheet of us and our Subsidiaries (excluding goodwill and other intangible assets), less all current liabilities (excluding notes payable, short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations).

“Funded debt” means generally any indebtedness for money borrowed, created, issued, incurred, assumed or guaranteed which would be classified as long-term debt or capital lease obligations.

“Principal Property” means any of our or our Subsidiaries’ refineries or refinery-related assets, distribution facilities or other real property that have a net book value exceeding 2.5% of consolidated net tangible assets, but not including any property which in our opinion is not material to our and our Subsidiaries’ total business conducted as an entirety or any portion of a particular property that is similarly found not to be material to the use or operation of such property.

“Subsidiary” means any entity of which at the time of determination we or one or more of our Subsidiaries owns or controls directly or indirectly more than 50% of the shares of voting stock or the outstanding partnership or similar interests and any limited partnership (i) of which we or any one of our Subsidiaries are a general partner and (ii) which is consolidated with us for financial reporting purposes; provided that Valero Energy Partners GP LLC and Valero Energy Partners LP and their respective Subsidiaries, for so long as Valero Energy Partners LP is not wholly owned, directly or indirectly, by us, in each case shall be deemed not to be Subsidiaries.

“wholly owned” means, when used with reference to an entity, an entity of which all of the outstanding capital stock (except for qualifying shares) or partnership or similar interests, as applicable, is owned by us or by one or more of our wholly owned Subsidiaries.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale

We have agreed in the indenture that we will consolidate with or merge into any entity or transfer or dispose of all or substantially all of our assets to any entity only if:

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we are the continuing corporation, or

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if we are not the continuing corporation, the successor is organized and existing under the laws of any U.S. jurisdiction and assumes all of our obligations under the indenture and the debt securities, and

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in either case, immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no default or event of default would occur and be continuing under the indenture.

Events of Default

Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the following are events of default under the indenture with respect to a series of debt securities issued under the indenture:

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our failure to pay interest on any debt security of that series for 30 days;

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our failure to pay principal of or any premium on any debt security of that series when due;

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our failure to make any sinking fund payment for any debt security of that series when due;

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our failure to perform any of our other covenants or breach of any of our other warranties in the indenture, other than a covenant or warranty included in the indenture solely for the benefit of another series of debt securities, and that failure continues for 60 days after written notice is given or received as provided in the indenture;

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certain bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization events involving us; and

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any other event of default we may provide for that series.

If an event of default for any series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series affected by the default may declare the principal amount of all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. After any declaration of acceleration of a series of debt securities, but before a judgment or decree for payment has been obtained, the event of default giving rise to the declaration of acceleration will, without further act, be deemed to have been waived, and such declaration and its consequences will, without further act, be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled if:

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we have paid or deposited with the trustee a sum sufficient to pay

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all overdue interest;

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the principal and premium, if any, due otherwise than by the declaration of acceleration and any interest on such amounts;

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any interest on overdue interest, to the extent legally permitted;

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all amounts due to the trustee under the indenture, and

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all events of default with respect to that series of debt securities, other than the nonpayment of the principal which became due solely by virtue of the declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived.

In most cases, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders, unless the holders have offered to the trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the trustee. Subject to this provision for indemnification, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may direct the time, method and place of:

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conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee; or

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exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee, with respect to the debt securities of that series.

The indenture requires us to furnish to the trustee annually a statement as to our performance of our obligations under the indenture and as to any default in performance.

Modification and Waiver

We may modify or amend the indenture without the consent of any holders of the debt securities in certain circumstances, including to:

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evidence the assumption of our obligations under the indenture and the debt securities by a successor;

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add further covenants for the benefit of the holders;

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cure any ambiguity or correct any inconsistency in the indenture, so long as such action will not adversely affect the interests of the holders;

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establish the form or terms of debt securities of any series; or

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evidence the acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee.

We may modify or amend the indenture with the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series affected by the modification or amendment. Without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security affected, however, no modification may:

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change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any installment of interest on, any debt security;

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reduce the principal amount of, the rate of interest on, or the premium payable on, any debt security;

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reduce the amount of principal of discounted debt securities payable upon acceleration of maturity due to an event of default;

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change the place of payment or the currency in which any debt security is payable;

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impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on any debt security; or

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reduce quorum or voting rights.

The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each series may waive past defaults by us under the indenture with respect to the debt securities of that series only. Those holders may not, however, waive any default in any payment on any debt security of that series or compliance with a provision that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each holder affected.

Discharge

We will be discharged from all obligations relating to any series of debt securities, except for certain surviving obligations to register the transfer or exchange of the debt securities and any right by the holders to receive additional amounts under the indenture if:

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all debt securities of that series previously authenticated and delivered under the indenture have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation, or

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all debt securities of that series have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year, at maturity or by redemption, and we deposit with the trustee, in trust, sufficient money to pay the entire indebtedness of all the debt securities of that series on the dates the payments are due in accordance with the terms of the debt securities.

To exercise the right of deposit described above, we must pay all other sums payable under the indenture, and deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel and an officers’ certificate stating that all conditions precedent to the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture have been complied with.

Form, Exchange, Registration and Transfer

Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, we will issue the debt securities only in fully registered form, without coupons, in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

Debt securities will be exchangeable for other debt securities of the same series, the same total principal amount and the same terms in such authorized denominations as may be requested. Holders may present debt securities for registration of transfer at the office of the security registrar or any transfer agent we designate. The security registrar or transfer agent will effect the transfer or exchange when it is satisfied with the documents of

title and identity of the person making the request. We will not charge a service charge for any transfer or exchange of the debt securities. We may, however, require payment of any tax or other governmental charge payable for the registration of the transfer or exchange.

We will appoint the trustee as security registrar for the debt securities. We are required to maintain an office or agency for transfers and exchanges in each place of payment. We may at any time designate additional offices or agencies for transfers and exchanges of any series of debt securities.

We will not be required:

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to issue, register the transfer of or exchange debt securities of a series during a period beginning 15 business days prior to the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of debt securities of that series selected for redemption and ending on the close of business on the day of mailing of the relevant notice, or

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to register the transfer of or exchange any debt security, or portion of any debt security, called for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security we are redeeming in part.

Payment and Paying Agents

Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, principal and interest will be payable, and the debt securities will be transferable and exchangeable, at the office or offices of the trustee or any paying agent we designate. At our option, we will pay interest on the debt securities by check mailed to the holder’s registered address or by wire transfer for global debt securities. Unless we inform you otherwise in a prospectus supplement, we will make interest payments to the persons in whose name the debt securities are registered at the close of business on the record date for each interest payment date.

In most cases, the trustee and paying agent will repay to us upon written request any funds held by them for payments on the debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years after the date upon which that payment has become due. After payment to us, holders entitled to the money must look to us for payment.

Book-Entry and Settlement

We may issue the debt securities of a series in the form of one or more global debt securities that would be deposited with a depositary or its nominee identified in the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe:

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any circumstances under which beneficial owners may exchange their interests in a global debt security for certificated debt securities of the same series with the same total principal amount and the same terms;

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the manner in which we will pay principal of and any premium and interest on a global debt security; and

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the terms of any depositary arrangement and the rights and limitations of owners of beneficial interests in any global debt security.

Notices

Notices to holders will be given by mail to the addresses of such holders as they appear in the security register.

Governing Law

New York law will govern the indenture and the debt securities.

The Trustee

U.S. Bank National Association is the trustee under the indenture.

If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will be required in the exercise of its rights and powers to use the degree of care and skill of a prudent person under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs. The trustee may resign at any time or the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities may remove the trustee. If the trustee resigns, is removed or becomes incapable of acting as trustee or if a vacancy occurs in the office of the trustee for any reason, we will appoint a successor trustee in accordance with the provisions of the indenture.

If the trustee becomes one of our creditors, it will be subject to limitations in the indenture on its rights to obtain payment of claims or to realize on certain property received for any claim, as security or otherwise. The trustee may engage in other transactions with us. If, however, it acquires any conflicting interest, it must eliminate that conflict or resign as required under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

Description of Common Stock

We have summarized selected aspects of our common stock below. The summary is not complete. For a complete description, you should refer to our certificate of incorporation and by-laws, each as amended, which are exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

Common Stock

Our authorized common stock consists of 1,200,000,000 shares, par value $0.01 per share. Each share of common stock is entitled to participate equally in dividends as and when declared by our board of directors. The payment of dividends on our common stock may be limited by obligations we may have to holders of any preferred stock. For information regarding restrictions on payments of dividends, see the prospectus supplement applicable to any issuance of common stock.

Common stockholders are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters submitted to them. Our common stock does not have cumulative voting rights, meaning that holders of a majority of the shares of common stock voting for the election of directors can elect all the directors if they choose to do so.

If we liquidate or dissolve our business, the holders of common stock will share ratably in the distribution of assets available for distribution to stockholders after creditors are paid and preferred stockholders receive their distributions. The shares of common stock have no preemptive rights and are not convertible, redeemable or assessable or entitled to the benefits of any sinking fund.

All issued and outstanding shares of common stock are fully paid and nonassessable. Any shares of common stock we offer under this prospectus will be fully paid and nonassessable.

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE and trades under the symbol “VLO.”

Anti-Takeover Provisions

The provisions of Delaware law, our certificate of incorporation and our by-laws, each as amended, summarized below may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, deter or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt that a stockholder might consider in his or her best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for our common stock.

Preferred Stock

Our authorized preferred stock consists of 20,000,000 shares, par value $0.01 per share, issuable in series. Our board of directors can, without action by stockholders, issue one or more series of preferred stock. The board

can determine for each series the number of shares, designation, relative voting rights, dividend rates, liquidation and other rights, preferences and limitations. In some cases, the issuance of preferred stock could delay or discourage a change in control of us.

The issuance of preferred stock, while providing desired flexibility in connection with possible acquisitions and other corporate purposes, could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock. It could also affect the likelihood that holders of our common stock will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation.

Fair Price Provision

Our certificate of incorporation contains a fair price provision. Mergers, consolidations and other business combinations involving us and an “interested stockholder” require the approval of holders of at least 66 2/3% of our outstanding voting stock not owned by the interested stockholder. Interested stockholders include any holder of 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. The 66 2/3% voting requirement does not apply, however, if the “continuing directors,” as defined in our certificate of incorporation, approve the business combination, or the business combination meets other specified conditions.

Liability of Our Directors

As permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, we have included in our certificate of incorporation a provision that limits our directors’ liability for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duty of care to us and our stockholders. The provision does not affect the liability of a director:

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for any breach of his/her duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;

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for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;

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for the declaration or payment of unlawful dividends or unlawful stock repurchases or redemptions; and

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for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

This provision also does not affect a director’s responsibilities under any other laws, such as the federal securities laws or state or federal environmental laws.

Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations

Our stockholders can submit stockholder proposals and nominate candidates for our board of directors if the stockholders follow advance notice procedures described in our restated by-laws.

Generally, stockholders must submit a written notice between 60 and 90 days before the first anniversary of the date of our previous year’s annual stockholders’ meeting. To nominate directors, the notice must include the name and address of the stockholder, the class or series and number of shares beneficially owned by the stockholder, information about the nominee required by the SEC and a description of any arrangements or understandings with respect to the election of directors that exist between the stockholder and any other person. To make stockholder proposals, the notice must include a description of the proposal, the reasons for bringing the proposal before the meeting, the name and address of the stockholder, the class and number of shares owned by the stockholder and any material interest of the stockholder in the proposal.

In each case, if we have changed the date of the annual meeting to more than 30 days before or 60 days after the anniversary date of our previous year’s annual stockholders’ meeting, stockholders must submit the notice between 60 and 90 days prior to such annual meeting or no later than 10 days after the day we make public the date of the annual meeting.

Director nominations and stockholder proposals that are late or that do not include all required information may be rejected. This could prevent stockholders from bringing certain matters before an annual meeting, including making nominations for directors.

Delaware Anti-takeover Statute

We are a Delaware corporation and are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prevents us from engaging in a business combination with an “interested stockholder” (generally, a person owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock) for three years following the time that person becomes a 15% stockholder unless one of the following is satisfied:

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before that person became a 15% stockholder, our board of directors approved the transaction in which the stockholder became a 15% stockholder or approved the business combination;

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upon completion of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder’s becoming a 15% stockholder, the stockholder owned at least 85% of our voting stock outstanding at the time the transaction began (excluding stock held by directors who are also officers and by employee stock plans that do not provide employees with the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer); and

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after the transaction in which that person became a 15% stockholder, the business combination is approved by our board of directors and authorized at a stockholders’ meeting by at least two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock not owned by the 15% stockholder.

Under Section 203, these restrictions also do not apply to certain business combinations proposed by a 15% stockholder following the disclosure of an extraordinary transaction with a person who was not a 15% stockholder during the previous three years or who became a 15% stockholder with the approval of a majority of our directors. This exception applies only if the extraordinary transaction is approved or not opposed by a majority of our directors who were directors before any person became a 15% stockholder in the previous three years, or the successors of these directors.

Other Provisions

Our certificate of incorporation also provides that:

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stockholders may act only at an annual or special meeting and not by written consent;

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an 80% vote of the outstanding voting stock is required for the stockholders to amend our restated by-laws; and

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an 80% vote of the outstanding voting stock is required to amend our certificate of incorporation with respect to certain matters, including those described in the first two bullet points above.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

Computershare Investor Services, LLC, is our transfer agent and registrar.

Plan of Distribution

We will set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement a description of the plan of distribution of the securities that may be offered pursuant to this prospectus.

Legal Matters

Mr. Jay D. Browning, Esq., our Executive Vice President and General Counsel, will issue opinions about the legality of the offered securities for us. Mr. Browning is our employee and at December 31, 2014, beneficially owned approximately 165,248 shares of our common stock (including shares held under employee benefit plans) and held options under our employee stock option plans to purchase an additional 19,679 shares of our common stock. None of such shares or options were granted in connection with the offering of the securities. Any underwriters will be advised about issues relating to any offering by their own legal counsel.

Experts

The consolidated financial statements of Valero Energy Corporation as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2014, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2014, have been incorporated by reference herein in reliance upon the reports of KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

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