Gasoline demand is currently 2% to 5% below 2019 levels, with the West Coast still lagging at about 10% down.
Overall, jet demand remains down nearly 30% below pre-pandemic levels.
In conjunction with the close, we announced our plans to return $10 billion of sale proceeds to shareholders through share repurchases.
As part of our commitment to quickly return capital, we immediately launched a modified Dutch auction tender offer in which we were able to repurchase nearly $1 billion worth of shares.
At approximately 180 million gallons per year, Dickinson is the second largest renewable diesel facility in the United States.
Based on our progress and discussion with feedstock suppliers, we're confident in the time line we have set to begin producing renewable diesel in the second half of 2022, with approximately 260 million gallons per year of capacity.
Additionally, we expect to reach full capacity of approximately 730 million gallons per year by the end of '23.
In the first half of 2021, our operating results reflect our goal to reduce overall refining cost structure by $1 billion.
First, a 30% reduction in our Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2030.
Second, a 50% reduction in midstream methane intensity by 2025.
And lastly, a 20% reduction in our fresh water withdrawal intensity by 2030.
We've allocated 40% of our growth capital in 2021 to help advance two significant renewable fuels projects.
In 2020, our teams demonstrated strong safety and environmental performance, including a nearly 40% reduction in the most significant process safety events and a 40% reduction in designated environmental incidents over 2019.
Adjusted EBITDA was $2.194 billion for the quarter.
Cash from continuing operations, excluding working capital, was $1.535 billion, which is approximately $1 billion increase from the prior quarter.
And for the first time in nearly 18 months, we generated ongoing operating cash flow that exceeded the needs of the business, capital commitments, as well as covered our dividend and distributions.
Finally, we returned nearly $1.4 billion of capital to shareholders this quarter through dividend payments and share repurchases.
We received total proceeds for the sale of Speedway of $21 billion.
Based on our tax basis, our cash taxes, current and deferred, will be approximately $4.2 billion, which is lower than our original $4.5 billion estimate.
In addition, we had closing adjustments of approximately $400 million.
Therefore, the after-tax proceeds from the sale will be $17.2 billion.
To be clear, this number is higher than our initial $16.5 billion estimate.
Since the close of the transaction, we have reduced structural debt by $2.5 billion and purchased approximately $1 billion of stock.
That said, not repurchasing during that limited window is not indicative of any deviation from our commitment to complete within 12 to 16 months.
Consistent with that commitment, as Mike mentioned earlier, we are commencing the next steps to complete the remaining $9 billion return of capital.
Since the beginning of 2020, we have made a step change in our refining operating cost and decreased our overall cost profile by approximately $1 billion.
While there is quarter-to-quarter variability, our refining operating cost in 2020 began at $6 per barrel and are now trending at a quarterly average of roughly $5 per barrel for 2021.
We believe we have lowered our overall cost structure by more than $100 million, and we are committed to challenging ourselves every day on ways to reduce expenses.
These costs have recently increased nearly $1 per MMBtu, and we anticipate this being a headwind for the third quarter.
Adjusted EBITDA was more than $600 million higher quarter over quarter, driven primarily by refining and marketing.
Here, you can see the $11.7 billion pre-tax gain on the sale reflected in the adjustments column of $11.6 billion, which includes other adjustments of $79 million for impairment and transaction-related costs.
The $3.7 billion financial tax -- excuse me, financial tax provision reflects the net impact of cash taxes and deferred tax impact.
The resulting $8 billion gain on sale is reflected in our quarterly net income.
The business recorded the second consecutive quarter of positive EBITDA since the start of the COVID pandemic with adjusted EBITDA of $751 million.
This was an increase of $728 million when compared to the first quarter of 2021.
The increase was driven primarily by higher refining margins, especially in the Mid-Con region as that region's cracks improved 57% from the first quarter.
Also contributing to the improved results was higher utilization, which was 94% for the second quarter versus 83% in the first quarter.
If adjusted to include that capacity idled in 2020, utilization would have been approximately 78% in the first quarter of '21 and subsequently increased to 89% in the second quarter of '21.
By the end of 2021, we estimate that MPLX will have decreased their structural cost by $300 million.
Within continuing operations, operating cash flow before changes in working capital was $1.5 billion in the quarter.
Increasing crude prices provided a source of more than $500 million, which was mostly offset by the large receivable balance with Speedway becoming a third-party customer and typical seasonal refined product inventory builds.
During the quarter, MPC decreased debt by $3.3 billion.
Additionally, MPLX reduced third-party debt by approximately $800 million during the quarter.
With respect to capital return, MPC returned $380 million to shareholders through our dividend and repurchased $981 million worth of shares using Speedway proceeds.
At the end of the quarter, NPC had $17.3 billion in cash and higher returning short-term investments, such as commercial paper and certificates of deposits.
We expect total throughput volumes of roughly 2.8 million barrels per day.
Planned turnaround costs are projected to be approximately $195 million in the third quarter.
Total operating costs are projected to be $5.05 per barrel for the quarter.
Distribution costs are expected to be approximately $1.3 billion for the quarter.
Corporate costs are expected to be $175 million, consistent with the second quarter and reflecting the approximately $100 billion -- $100 million, excuse me, in cost that have been removed on an annual basis.

Summary:
Based on our progress and discussion with feedstock suppliers, we're confident in the time line we have set to begin producing renewable diesel in the second half of 2022, with approximately 260 million gallons per year of capacity.
Consistent with that commitment, as Mike mentioned earlier, we are commencing the next steps to complete the remaining $9 billion return of capital.
Within continuing operations, operating cash flow before changes in working capital was $1.5 billion in the quarter.