Let me also remind you that CVR Partners completed a 1-for-10 reverse split of its common units on November 23, 2020.
We successfully completed $1 billion notes offering in January of 2020, which have provided us with additional cash and liquidity at attractive rates.
We achieved significant reductions in SG&A operating costs, capital expenditures companywide, exceeding our goal of $50 million annual reduction in SG&A and operating expenses.
Record ammonia production of 852,000 tons between the two plants, posting a combined utilization of 95% for the year.
We reported a net loss of $320 million and a loss of $2.54 per share.
For the fourth quarter, we reported a net loss of $78 million and loss per share of $0.67.
EBITDA for the year was a negative $7 million and for the quarter was a positive $1 million.
For the Petroleum segment, the combined total throughput for the fourth quarter of 2020 was approximately 219,000 barrels per day as compared to 213,000 barrels per day for the fourth quarter of 2019.
Group 3 2-1-1 crack spreads averaged $8.44 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2020.
However, RINs consumed 40% of that at approximately $3.50 per barrel.
The Group 3 2-1-1 averaged $16.65 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2019, when RINs were only a $1.15 per barrel.
The Brent TI differential averaged $2.49 per barrel in the fourth quarter compared to $5.55 in the prior year period.
The Midland Cushing differential was $0.37 over WTI in the quarter compared to $0.94 over WTI in the fourth quarter of 2019.
And the WCS to WTI crude differential was a low $11.44 per barrel compared to $18.89 per barrel in the same period last year.
Light product yield for the quarter was 103% on crude oil processed.
Our distillate yield as a percentage of total crude oil throughputs was 44% in the fourth quarter of 2020 consistent with prior year period.
In total, we gathered approximately 117,000 barrels per day during the fourth quarter of 2020 as compared to 148,000 barrels per day for the same period last year.
Our current gathering volumes are approximately 130,000 barrels per day, including the volumes on the pipelines we have recently acquired from Blueknight.
In the Fertilizer segment, we had a strong ammonia utilization at both of our facilities during the quarter, at 99% at Coffeyville and 103% at East Dubuque.
Our consolidated fourth quarter net loss of $78 million and loss per diluted share of $0.67 includes a mark-to-market gain of $54 million related to our Delek investment, and favorable inventory valuation impacts of $15 million.
Excluding these impacts, our fourth quarter 2020 loss per diluted share would have been approximately $1.18.
The effective tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2020 was 23% compared to 40% for the prior year period.
As a result of our net loss for the full year 2020 and in accordance with the NOL carry-back provisions of the CARES Act, we currently anticipate an income tax refund of $35 million to $40 million.
The Petroleum segment's EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2020 was a negative $66 million compared to a positive $135 million in the same period in 2019.
Excluding inventory valuation impacts of $15 million, our Petroleum Segment EBITDA would have been a negative $81 million.
In the fourth quarter of 2020, our Petroleum segment's refining margin, excluding inventory valuation impact was $0.56 per total throughput barrel compared to $11.86 in the same period in 2019.
The increase in crude oil and refined product prices through the quarter generated a positive inventory valuation impact of $0.76 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2020.
This compares to a $0.61 per barrel positive impact during the same period last year.
Excluding inventory valuation impact and unrealized derivative losses, the capture rate for the fourth quarter of 2020 was approximately 20% compared to 79% in the prior year period.
The most significant item impacting our capture rate for the quarter was elevated RINs prices, which reduced margin capture by approximately 71%.
Derivative losses for the fourth quarter of 2020 totaled $15 million, including unrealized losses of $23 million associated with Canadian crude oil and crack spread derivative.
In the fourth quarter of 2019, we had derivative losses of $19 million, which included unrealized losses of $24 million.
RINs expense in the fourth quarter of 2020 was $120 million or $5.97 per barrel of total throughput, compared to $13 million for the same period last year.
Our fourth quarter RINs expense was impacted by $64 million from this mark-to-market impact on our accrued RFS obligation, which was mark-to-market at an average RIN price of $0.89 at year end and other market activities.
The full year 2020 RINs expense was $190 million as compared to $43 million in 2019.
For 2021, we forecast a net obligation from refining operations of approximately $280 million RINs adjusted for our expected internal blending volumes.
We also expect to generate approximately $90 million D4 RINS from renewable diesel in the second half of the year, bringing our net RIN obligation for 2021 to approximately $190 million RINs.
RINs expense for 2021 is expected to be comprised of the cost of this anticipated $190 million RIN obligation, as well as any necessary mark-to-market on any remaining accrued RFS obligation.
Subsequent to year end, we have reduced our 2020 RINs obligation by approximately 8%.
The Petroleum segment's direct operating expenses were $3.99 per barrel of total throughput in the fourth quarter of 2020 as compared to $4.63 per barrel in the fourth quarter of 2019.
For the full year 2020, we reduced operating expenses and SG&A costs in the Petroleum segment by approximately $62 million compared to the full year of 2019.
For the fourth quarter of 2020, the Fertilizer segment reported operating loss of $1 million and a net loss of $17 million, or $1.53 per common unit, and EBITDA of $18 million.
This is compared to a fourth quarter 2019 operating loss of $9 million, a net loss of $25 million, or $2.20 per common unit, and EBITDA of $11 million.
For the full year 2020, we reduced operating expenses and SG&A costs in the Fertilizer segment by over $23 million compared to the full year of 2019.
During the quarter, CVR Partners completed a 1-for-10 reverse split and repurchased nearly 394,000 of its common units for approximately $5 million.
In total, CVR Partners repurchased over 623,000 of its common units for $7 million in 2020, and the Board of Directors of CVR Partners' general partner has approved an additional $10 million unit repurchase authorization.
Total units outstanding at the end of 2020 were 10.7 million, of which CVR Energy owns approximately 36%.
The total consolidated capital spending for the full year of 2020 was $121 million, which included $90 million from the Petroleum segment, $16 million from the Fertilizer segment and $12 million for the Renewable Diesel Project at Wynnewood.
Of this total, environmental and maintenance capital spending comprised $92 million, including $77 million in the Petroleum segment and $12 million in the Fertilizer segment.
We estimate the total consolidated capital spending for 2021 to be $215 million to $230 million, of which $115 million to $125 million is expected to be environmental and maintenance capital and $95 million to $100 million is related to the Renewable Diesel Project.
Our consolidated capital spending plan excludes planned turnaround spending, which we estimate will be approximately $11 million for the year in preparation of the planned turnaround at Wynnewood and Coffeyville in 2022.
Cash provided by operations for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $28 million and free cash flow in the quarter was $4 million.
Working capital was a source of approximately $105 million in the quarter due primarily to an increase in our accrued RFS obligation.
For the year, cash from operations was $90 million and free cash flow was a use of $193 million.
In addition, in January 2020, we refinanced and upsized our notes, which generated a net $489 million of cash.
Turning to the balance sheet, we ended the year with approximately $667 million of cash, a slight increase from the prior year.
Our consolidated cash balance includes $31 million in the Fertilizer segment.
As of December 31st, excluding CVR Partners, we had approximately $929 million of liquidity, which was comprised of approximately $637 million of cash, securities available for sale of $173 million, and availability under the ADL of approximately $365 million, less cash included in the borrowing base of $246 million.
Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2021, our Petroleum segment -- for our Petroleum segment, we estimate total throughput to be approximately 185,000 -- excuse me, to 190,000 barrels per day.
We expect total direct operating expenses for the first quarter to be $95 million to $105 million and total capital spending to range between $65 million and $75 million.
For the Fertilizer segment, despite reducing operating rates that used to be last week due to the extreme weather conditions and natural gas pricing, we estimate our ammonia utilization rate to be greater than 90% for the quarter.
We expect direct operating expenses to be $35 million to $40 million excluding inventory impacts and total capital spending to be between $4 million and $7 million.
Starting with crude oil, we've drawn down about 50% of the excess crude oil inventories worldwide.
Moving on to refined products, gasoline demand is down approximately 1 million barrels per day and vehicle miles traveled are showing declines.
RINs are ridiculous, approaching $5 per barrel, putting RINs cost above operating costs.
Diesel cracks are in contango, and the domestic refining utilization is still low at 83%.
We believe cracks will remain relatively weak until demand supports utilization in the 90% plus level.
Today, we have seen approximately 5 million barrels per day and announced between permanent shutdowns, temporary idling and potential closures worldwide, with $1.1 million of that in the United States.
Our primary focus now is on getting Phase 1 mechanically complete.
Corn prices have rallied over 50% since October, significantly improving farmer economics and driving demand for crop inputs higher.
Looking at the first quarter of 2021, quarter-to-date metrics are as follows: Group 3 2-1 [Phonetic] Group 3 2-1-1 cracks have averaged $12.77 per barrel, with the Brent TI spread of $3.11 per barrel, and the Midland Cushing differential was $1.5 over WTI.
WTL differential has averaged $0.71 per barrel over WTI.
And the WCS differential has averaged $12.60 per barrel under WTI.
Ammonia prices have increased to over $400 a ton, while UAN prices are $250 dollars per ton.
Renewable diesel margins have averaged $1.31 per gallon, quarter-to-date, based on soybean oil with the carbon intensity of 60, and includes RINs, blenders tax credit, and low carbon fuel standard credit.
As of yesterday, Group 3 2-1-1 cracks were $17.77 per barrel.
Brent TI was $3.67 and WCS was $12.85 under WTI.
Quarter-to-date, ethanol RINs have averaged toward $0.94 and biodiesel RINs have averaged $1.5.
In January of 2020, ethanol RINs averaged $0.16 and biodiesel RINs averaged $0.40, a nearly six-fold increase in the price of ethanol RINs in one year should be clear evidence as the RFS program is broken.
Without the mark-to-market effect of this position, our capture rate would have been higher by 38% for the quarter.

Summary:
For the fourth quarter, we reported a net loss of $78 million and loss per share of $0.67.
Our consolidated fourth quarter net loss of $78 million and loss per diluted share of $0.67 includes a mark-to-market gain of $54 million related to our Delek investment, and favorable inventory valuation impacts of $15 million.
Today, we have seen approximately 5 million barrels per day and announced between permanent shutdowns, temporary idling and potential closures worldwide, with $1.1 million of that in the United States.