Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No. 333-224993

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 21, 2019

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

(To Prospectus dated May 17, 2018)

$            

Valero Energy Corporation

% Senior Notes due 2029

This is an offering of $        aggregate principal amount of our         % Senior Notes due 2029 (the “notes”). The notes will mature on                 , 2029. Interest on the notes will be payable semi-annually on                  and                 of each year, commencing                 , 2019. We may redeem the notes in whole at any time or in part from time to time at the 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-2 of this prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) 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.

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 Banking, société anonyme, and Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System, on or about                 , 2019.

Joint Book-Running Managers

                    , 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS

We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with any information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We and the underwriters take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others may give you. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell any security in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume the information appearing in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the cover of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus 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 that date.

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.

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VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION

We are a Fortune 500 company based in San Antonio, Texas. 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. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “VLO.” On January 31, 2019, we had 10,261 employees.

We own 15 petroleum refineries located in the United States (U.S.), Canada, and the United Kingdom (U.K.) with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.1 million barrels per day. Our refineries produce conventional gasolines, premium gasolines, gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), diesel, low-sulfur diesel, ultra-low-sulfur diesel, CARB diesel, other distillates, jet fuel, asphalt, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined petroleum products. We sell our refined petroleum products in both the wholesale rack and bulk markets, and approximately 7,000 outlets carry our brand names in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Ireland. We also own 14 ethanol plants in the Mid-Continent region of the U.S. with a combined production capacity of approximately 1.73 billion gallons per year. We sell our ethanol in the wholesale bulk market.

Our principal executive offices are located at One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas 78249, our telephone number is (210) 345-2000 and our website is www.valero.com. The information on the our website is not incorporated by reference in, and does not form a part of, this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

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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, 2018, 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 supplement that are incorporated by reference herein, together with the other information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents we have incorporated by reference.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds we will receive from this offering will be approximately $        after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated expenses of the offering payable by us. We anticipate using the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include the funding of the redemption of $850 million aggregate principal amount of our 6.125% Senior Notes due 2020.

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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 notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture (the “indenture”) dated as of March 10, 2015 by and between Valero and U.S. Bank National Association (the “trustee”). The notes will constitute a separate series of debt securities under the indenture, initially limited to $        aggregate principal amount. The notes will mature on                 , 2029. 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” the 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 for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the additional notes will have a separate CUSIP number.

The notes will bear interest at the rate per annum shown on the cover page of this prospectus supplement from                 , 2019 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                 , 2019, 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

The notes will be redeemable, at any time and from time to time prior to                 , 2029 (three months prior to the maturity date), in whole or in part and at our option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

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On or after                 , 2029 (three months prior to the maturity date), we may redeem the notes at any time, in whole or in part and at our option, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date.

“Adjusted Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any 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 (assuming, for this purpose, that the notes matured on                 , 2029 (three months prior to the maturity date)) 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 (assuming, for this purpose, that the notes matured on                 , 2029 (three months prior to the maturity date)) (remaining life).

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

“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:

“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 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

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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, the trustee will select in a fair and appropriate manner the notes 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.

Book-Entry System, Form and Delivery

We have obtained the information in this section concerning The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (“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”:

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.

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The Depository Trust Company

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

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.

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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 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

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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 have 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.

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 (i) as a whole by DTC to a nominee of DTC, (ii) by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC or (iii) 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:

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 principal amount, 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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CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following discussion summarizes certain U.S. federal income tax considerations that may be relevant to the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the notes. This discussion is based upon the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), applicable U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, judicial authority and administrative interpretations, all as of the date of this document, and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect, or are subject to different interpretations. We cannot assure you that the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) will not challenge one or more of the tax consequences described in this discussion, and we have not obtained, nor do we intend to obtain, a ruling from the IRS or an opinion of counsel with respect to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of acquiring, owning or disposing of the notes.

This discussion is limited to initial holders who (i) purchase the notes for cash in this offering at the issue price (i.e., the first price at which a substantial amount of such notes is sold for cash other than to bond houses, brokers or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents or wholesalers) and (ii) hold the notes as capital assets (generally, property held for investment).

This discussion does not address any U.S. federal tax considerations (other than U.S. federal income tax considerations) or the tax considerations arising under the laws of any foreign, state, local or other jurisdiction or any income tax treaty. In addition, this discussion does not address all tax considerations that may be important to a particular holder in light of the holder’s circumstances, or to certain categories of investors that may be subject to special rules, such as:

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds notes, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner of the partnership generally will depend upon the status of the

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partner and the activities of the partnership and upon certain determinations made at the partner level. If you are a partner of a partnership considering an investment in the notes, you are urged to consult your own tax advisor about the U.S. federal income tax consequences of acquiring, owning and disposing of the notes.

INVESTORS CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF NOTES ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISORS REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX LAWS TO THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACQUISITION, OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE NOTES UNDER OTHER U.S. FEDERAL TAX LAWS OR UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCAL OR FOREIGN JURISDICTION OR UNDER ANY APPLICABLE INCOME TAX TREATY.

Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders

The following summary will apply to you if you are a U.S. holder of the notes. You are a “U.S. holder” for purposes of this discussion if you are a beneficial owner of a note and you are for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

Interest on the Notes

Interest on the notes generally will be taxable to you as ordinary income at the time it is received or accrued in accordance with your regular method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes. It is expected, and the following discussion assumes, that the notes will be issued with less than a de minimis amount of original issue discount.

Disposition of the Notes

You will generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a note equal to the difference, if any, between the amount realized on such sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other disposition (excluding any proceeds attributable to accrued but unpaid interest which will be taxable as ordinary interest income to the extent not previously included in income) and your adjusted tax basis in the note. The amount realized by you will include the amount of any cash and the fair market value of any other property received for the note. Your adjusted tax basis in the note will generally equal the amount you paid for the note. Any gain or loss will be long-term capital gain or loss if you held the note for more than one year at the time of the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition. Long-term capital gains of individuals, estates and trusts currently are eligible for reduced rates of U.S. federal income tax. The deductibility of capital losses may be subject to limitations.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Information reporting generally will apply to payments of interest on, and the proceeds of the sale or other disposition (including a redemption, exchange or retirement) of, notes held by you, and backup withholding will apply to such payments if you fail to provide to the applicable withholding agent your taxpayer identification

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number, certified under penalties of perjury, as well as certain other information or otherwise fail to establish an exemption from backup withholding, or if you have been notified by the IRS that (i) you failed to report in full payments of interest and dividend income or (ii) payments to you are subject to backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and a refund may be obtained from the IRS if the amounts withheld exceed your actual U.S. federal income tax liability and you timely provide the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.

Additional Tax on Net Investment Income

An additional 3.8% tax is generally imposed on the lesser of (i) the “net investment income” of certain United States citizens and resident aliens, and on the undistributed “net investment income” of certain estates and trusts, or (ii) the excess of modified gross income for the taxable year over a certain threshold. Among other items, “net investment income” generally includes gross income from interest and net gain from the disposition of property, such as the notes, less certain deductions. You are urged to consult your tax advisor with respect to this additional tax and its applicability in your particular circumstances.

Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders

The following summary will apply to you if you are a non-U.S. holder of notes. You are a “non-U.S. holder” for purposes of this discussion if you are a beneficial owner of notes (other than an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) that is not a U.S. holder.

Interest on the Notes

Subject to the discussion of backup withholding and FATCA withholding below, payments to you of interest on the notes generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax and will be exempt from withholding of U.S. federal income tax under the “portfolio interest” exemption if you properly certify as to your foreign status, as described below, and:

The portfolio interest exemption generally applies only if you also appropriately certify as to your foreign status. You can generally meet such certification requirement by providing a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form) to the applicable withholding agent. If you hold the notes through a financial institution or other agent acting on your behalf, you may be required to provide appropriate certifications to the agent. Your agent will then generally be required to provide appropriate certifications to the applicable withholding agent, either directly or through other intermediaries. Special rules apply to foreign partnerships, estates and trusts, and in certain circumstances certifications as to the foreign status of partners, trust owners or beneficiaries may have to be provided to the applicable withholding agent. In addition, special rules apply to qualified intermediaries that enter into withholding agreements with the IRS.

If you cannot satisfy the requirements described above, payments of interest made to you will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30% rate, unless (i) you provide the applicable withholding agent with a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form) claiming an exemption from (or a reduction of) withholding under the benefits of an income tax treaty or (ii) the payments of such interest are effectively connected with your conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, are attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you in the United States) and you meet the certification requirements described below. (See “—Income or Gain Effectively Connected with a U.S. Trade or Business.”) The certifications described above and below must be

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provided to the applicable withholding agent prior to the payment of interest and must be updated periodically. If you do not timely provide the applicable withholding agent with the required certification, but you qualify for a reduced rate under an applicable income tax treaty, you may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld if you timely provide the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.

Disposition of the Notes

Subject to the discussion of backup withholding and FATCA withholding below, you generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized on the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a note unless:

If your gain is described in the first bullet point above, you generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in the manner described under “—Income or Gain Effectively Connected with a U.S. Trade or Business.” If you are a non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet point above, you will be subject to a flat 30% (or lower applicable income tax treaty rate) U.S. federal income tax on the gain derived from the sale or other disposition, which may be offset by certain U.S. source capital losses. To the extent that any portion of the amount realized on a sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of a note is attributable to accrued but unpaid interest on the note, this amount generally will be taxed in the same manner as described above in “—Interest on the Notes.”

Income or Gain Effectively Connected with a U.S. Trade or Business

If any interest on the notes or gain from the sale, redemption, exchange, retirement or other taxable disposition of the notes is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business conducted by you (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, you maintain a permanent establishment in the United States to which such interest or gain is attributable), then the interest income or gain will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular graduated income tax rates generally in the same manner as if you were a U.S. holder but will not be subject to the tax described above under “Additional Tax on Net Investment Income” or U.S. withholding tax if certain certification requirements are satisfied. Effectively connected interest income will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax if you satisfy certain certification requirements by providing to the applicable withholding agent a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or successor form). In addition, if you are a corporation, that portion of your earnings and profits that is effectively connected with your U.S. trade or business may also be subject to a “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate, unless an applicable income tax treaty provides for a lower rate.

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding

Payments to you of interest on a note, and amounts withheld from such payments, if any, generally will be required to be reported to the IRS and to you. Copies of the information returns reporting such interest payments and withholding may also be made available to the tax authorities of the country in which you reside or are established under the provisions of a specific treaty or agreement.

Backup withholding generally will not apply to payments to you of interest on a note if the certification described in “—Tax Consequences to Non-U.S. Holders—Interest on the Notes” is duly provided or you otherwise establish an exemption.

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Payment of the proceeds from the disposition of a note effected by the U.S. office of a U.S. or foreign broker will be subject to information reporting requirements and backup withholding unless you properly certify under penalties of perjury as to your foreign status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or other applicable or successor form) and certain other conditions are met or you otherwise establish an exemption. Information reporting requirements and backup withholding generally will not apply to any payment of the proceeds from the disposition of a note effected outside the United States by a foreign office of a broker. However, unless such a broker has documentary evidence in its records that you are not a United States person and certain other conditions are met, or you otherwise establish an exemption, information reporting will apply to a payment of the proceeds of the disposition of a note effected outside the United States by such a broker if it has certain relationships with the United States.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld under the backup withholding rules is allowable as a credit against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and a refund may be obtained from the IRS if the amounts withheld exceed your actual U.S. federal income tax liability and you timely provide the required information or appropriate claim form to the IRS.

FATCA

Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury regulations and administrative guidance issued thereunder (referred to as “FATCA”) impose a 30% U.S. federal withholding tax on payments of interest on the notes and on the gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the notes, if paid to a “foreign financial institution” or a “non-financial foreign entity” (each as defined in the Code) (including, in some cases, when such foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity is acting as an intermediary), unless: (i) in the case of a foreign financial institution, such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments, and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners); (ii) in the case of a non-financial foreign entity, such entity certifies that it does not have any “substantial United States owners” (as defined in the Code) or provides the withholding agent with a certification identifying its direct and indirect substantial United States owners (generally by providing an IRS Form W-8BEN-E); or (iii) the foreign financial institution or non-financial foreign entity otherwise qualifies for an exemption from these rules and provides appropriate documentation (such as an IRS Form W-8BEN-E). Foreign financial institutions located in jurisdictions that have an intergovernmental agreement with the United States with respect to these rules may be subject to different rules. In addition, the U.S. Treasury Department has recently proposed regulations (the preamble to which specifies that taxpayers are permitted to rely on them pending finalization) providing that no withholding will apply on payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the notes. Under certain circumstances, a beneficial owner of notes might be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes. You are urged to consult your tax advisor regarding the effects of FATCA on your investment in the notes.

THE PRECEDING DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT TAX ADVICE. WE URGE YOU TO CONSULT YOUR OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR U.S. FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF ACQUIRING, OWNING AND DISPOSING OF THE NOTES, INCLUDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PROPOSED CHANGE IN APPLICABLE LAWS.

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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.

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.

The notes are 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 price to public 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 of the 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 of the notes. After the initial offering of the notes, the underwriters may from time to time vary the price to public 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 without notice.

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

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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 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.

Australia

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or any other disclosure document (as defined in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) of Australia (the “Corporations Act”)) in relation to the notes has not been or will not be lodged with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (“ASIC”). This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been lodged with ASIC and is only directed to certain categories of exempt persons. Accordingly, if you receive this document in Australia:

(a) you confirm and warrant that you are either:

(i) a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act;

(ii) a “sophisticated investor” under section 708(8)(c) or (d) of the Corporations Act and that you have provided an accountant’s certificate to us which complies with the requirements of section 708(8)(c)(i) or (ii) of the Corporations Act and related regulations before the offer has been made;

(iii) a person associated with the company under section 708(12) of the Corporations Act; or

(iv) a “professional investor” within the meaning of section 708(11)(a) or (b) of the Corporations Act, and to the extent that you are unable to confirm or warrant that you are an exempt sophisticated investor, associated person or professional investor under the Corporations Act any offer made to you under this document is void and incapable of acceptance; and

(b) you warrant and agree that you will not offer any of the notes for resale in Australia within 12 months of the notes being issued unless any such resale offer is exempt from the requirement to issue a disclosure document under section 708 of the Corporations Act.

European Economic Area

The notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area (“EEA”). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, “MiFID II”); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC (as amended, the “Insurance Mediation Directive”), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, the “Prospectus Directive”). Consequently no key information document required by

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Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been prepared on the basis that any offer of notes in any Member State of the EEA will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Directive from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of notes. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are not a prospectus for the purposes of the Prospectus Directive.

United Kingdom

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that:

Hong Kong

The notes may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

Japan

The notes offered in this prospectus supplement have not been registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan. The notes have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the account of any resident of Japan, except (i) pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities and Exchange Law and (ii) in compliance with any other applicable requirements of Japanese law.

Korea

The notes may not be offered, sold and delivered directly or indirectly, or offered or sold to any person for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in South Korea or to any resident of South Korea except pursuant to the applicable laws and regulations of South Korea, including the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act and the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law and the decrees and regulations thereunder. The notes have not been registered with the Financial Services Commission of South Korea for public offering in South Korea. Furthermore, the notes may not be re-sold to South Korean residents unless the purchaser of the notes complies with all applicable regulatory requirements (including but not limited to government approval requirements under the Foreign Exchange Transaction Law and its subordinate decrees and regulations) in connection with their purchase.

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Singapore

This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the notes may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the notes be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to compliance with conditions set forth in the SFA.

Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is:

Singapore Securities and Futures Act Product Classification:

Solely for the purposes of our obligations pursuant to sections 309B(1)(a) and 309B(1)(c) of the SFA, we have determined, and hereby notify all relevant persons (as defined in Section 309A of the SFA), that the notes are “prescribed capital markets products” (as defined in the Securities and Futures (Capital Markets Products) Regulations 2018) and Excluded Investment Products (as defined in MAS Notice SFA 04-N12: Notice on the Sale of Investment Products and MAS Notice FAA-N16: Notice on Recommendations on Investment Products).

Switzerland

The notes may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the notes or the offering may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.

Neither this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the offering, the Company, the notes have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus will not be filed with, and the offer of the notes will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory

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Authority FINMA (“FINMA”), and the offer of the notes has not been and will not be authorized under the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes (“CISA”). The investor protection afforded to acquirers of interests in collective investment schemes under the CISA does not extend to acquirers of the notes.

Taiwan

The notes have not been and will not be registered with the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan, the Republic of China (“Taiwan”), pursuant to relevant securities laws and regulations and may not be offered or sold in Taiwan through a public offering or in any manner which would constitute an offer within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of Taiwan or would otherwise require registration with or the approval of the Financial Supervisory Commission of Taiwan. No person or entity in Taiwan has been authorized to offer, sell, give advice regarding or otherwise intermediate the offering or sale of the notes in Taiwan.

United Arab Emirates

The notes have not been, and are not being, publicly offered, sold, promoted or advertised in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) other than in compliance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates (and the Dubai International Financial Centre) governing the issue, offering and sale of securities. Further, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute a public offer of securities in the United Arab Emirates (including the Dubai International Financial Centre) and are not intended to be a public offer. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been approved by or filed with the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, the Securities and Commodities Authority or the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

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LEGAL MATTERS

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, 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.

Mr. J. Stephen Gilbert, our Secretary and Disclosure and Compliance Officer, will issue opinions about the legality of the offered securities for us. Mr. Gilbert is our employee and at March 20, 2019, beneficially owned approximately 8,787 shares of our common stock (including shares held under employee benefit plans). None of such shares were granted in connection with the offering of the securities.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements of Valero Energy Corporation as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2018, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, 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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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC 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. The reports and other information we file with the SEC are also available at our website at www.valero.com. The information on the our website is not incorporated by reference in, and does not form a part of, this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

As permitted by SEC rules, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do 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 through the SEC’s 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 supplement and the accompanying 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, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) until the termination of this offering. The documents we incorporate by reference are:

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

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Prospectus

Valero Energy Corporation

One Valero Way

San Antonio, Texas 78249

(210) 345-2000

Senior Debt Securities

We may offer from time to time our senior debt securities. 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.

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 May 17, 2018.

Table of Contents

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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 described in this prospectus 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.”

We have not authorized any person to provide you with any information or represent anything about us other than what is contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any pricing supplement. We do not take any responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others may provide to you. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date on its front cover. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since the date indicated on the front cover of such documents. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the securities offered hereunder, nor does this prospectus constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction.

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”) (excluding any information furnished and not filed with the SEC) until the termination of this offering. The documents we incorporate by reference are:

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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 any 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:

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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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. 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. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “VLO.” On January 31, 2018, we had 10,015 employees.

We own 15 petroleum refineries located in the United States (U.S.), Canada, and the United Kingdom (U.K.) with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.1 million barrels per day. Our refineries produce conventional gasolines, premium gasolines, gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), diesel, low-sulfur diesel, ultra-low-sulfur diesel, CARB diesel, other distillates, jet fuel, asphalt, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined petroleum products. We sell our refined petroleum products in both the wholesale rack and bulk markets, and approximately 7,400 outlets carry our brand names in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Ireland. Most of our logistics assets support our refining operations, and some of these assets are owned by Valero Energy Partners LP (VLP), a midstream master limited partnership majority owned by us. We also own 11 ethanol plants in the Mid-Continent region of the U.S. with a combined production capacity of approximately 1.45 billion gallons per year. We sell our ethanol in the wholesale bulk market, and some of our logistics assets support our ethanol operations.

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:

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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:

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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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

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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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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:

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 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;

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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:

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:

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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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 and certain other limitations, 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:

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:

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:

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.

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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:

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:

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.

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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:

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.

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 February 1, 2018,

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beneficially owned approximately 218,512 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 34,766 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, 2017 and 2016, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2017, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, 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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