As Filed With the Securities and Exchange Commission on _____________, 2003

                                                   Registration No. 333-________

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933



                            VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION
               (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)


               Delaware                              74-1828067
    (State or other jurisdiction of      (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
     incorporation or organization)

            One Valero Place                           78212
           San Antonio, Texas                        (Zip Code)
 (address of principal executive offices)



                       ----------------------------------

                            VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION
                       2003 EMPLOYEE STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                       ----------------------------------

                              Jay D. Browning, Esq.
                          Vice President and Secretary
                            Valero Energy Corporation
                                One Valero Place
                            San Antonio, Texas 78212
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

   Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service: (210) 370-2000

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------
Title of securities to      Amount to be         Proposed maximum       Proposed maximum           Amount of
     be registered          registered (2)       offering price per     aggregate offering      Registration Fee
                                                      share (1)              price (1)
------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------
                                                                                   
Common Stock, par          5,000,000 shares            $37.825             $189,125,000               $15,300
value $.01 per share
(3)
------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------


(1)      Estimated  pursuant  to Rule  457(c) and (h) solely for the  purpose of
         computing the  registration  fee and based upon the average of the high
         and low sales price of the Common Stock of the  Registrant  reported on
         the New York Stock Exchange on June 23, 2003.
(2)      There are also registered hereby such indeterminate number of shares of
         Common  Stock as may  become  issuable  by reason of the  anti-dilution
         provisions of the 2003 Employee Stock Incentive Plan.
(3)      Includes  the  associated   Preferred  Share  Purchase  Rights,   which
         initially  are  attached  to,  trade  with and are  represented  by the
         certificates for the Common Stock being registered hereby.





                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

         Note: The document(s)  containing the employee benefit plan information
required by Item 1 of Form S-8 and the statement of  availability of information
about us and any other  information  required by Item 2 of Form S-8 will be sent
or given to  participants  as specified by Rule 428 under the  Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act").  In accordance  with Rule 428 and the
requirements  of Part I of Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission")  either as part of this
Registration  Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to
Rule 424 under the Securities Act. We shall maintain a file of such documents in
accordance with the provisions of Rule 428. Upon request, we will furnish to the
Commission  or its staff a copy or copies of all of the  documents  included  in
such file.

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by reference.

         This  Registration  Statement  incorporates  herein  by  reference  the
following  documents which have been filed by us with the Commission pursuant to
the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange  Act") (File No.
001-13175):

     o    Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  December 31,
          2002;

     o    Our  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended  March 31,
          2003;

     o    Our Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 22, 2003 and filed on April
          22, 2003;

     o    Our Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 30, 2003 and filed on June 4,
          2003;

     o    The description of our common stock, par value $.01 per share ("Common
          Stock"),  contained in our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on
          May 13,  1997,  as  amended  (Reg.  No.  333-27013)  and  Registration
          Statement on Form 8-A filed on July 9, 1997, as amended; and

     o    The description of the Preferred Share Purchase  Rights,  contained in
          our  Registration  Statement on Form 8-A/A filed on May 10,  2001,  as
          amended.

         Each  document  filed by us pursuant to Sections  13(a),  13(c),  14 or
15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration  Statement
and  prior to the  filing of a  post-effective  amendment  to this  Registration
Statement which  indicates that all securities  offered hereby have been sold or
which  deregisters all securities then remaining  unsold,  shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof
from the date of filing such documents.

         Any statement contained in this Registration Statement, in an amendment
hereto or in a document  incorporated by reference  herein shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent
that a statement  contained  herein or in any  subsequently  filed supplement to
this  Registration  Statement or in any document  that also is  incorporated  by
reference  herein  modifies or  supersedes  such  statement.  Any  statement  so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

Not applicable.



Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         The validity of the issuance of the Common Stock offered hereby will be
passed upon for Valero by Jay D. Browning, Esq., Vice President and Secretary of
the Company. As of June 23, 2003, Mr. Browning  beneficially owned approximately
7,334  shares of Common  Stock  (including  shares held under  employee  benefit
plans)  and  held  options  under   employee  stock  option  plans  to  purchase
approximately 30,212 additional shares.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         The terms of Valero's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended
(the "Restated Certificate of Incorporation"),  eliminate the personal liability
of a director to Valero and its  stockholders for monetary damages for breach of
his or her fiduciary duty as a director to the extent allowed under the Delaware
General  Corporation Law. Except as provided below, if a director were to breach
his or her fiduciary  duty as a director,  neither  Valero not its  stockholders
could  recover  monetary  damages  from  the  director,  and the  only  remedies
available  to Valero's  stockholders  would be  equitable  remedies,  such as an
action to enjoin or rescind a transaction  involving a breach of fiduciary duty.
To the  extent  certain  claims  against  directors  are  limited  to  equitable
remedies,  the provision in Valero's  Restated  Certificate of Incorporation may
reduce the likelihood of derivative  litigation and may discourage  stockholders
or management from initiating  litigation  against directors for breach of their
fiduciary duty.  Additionally,  equitable  remedies may not be effective in many
situations.  If a  stockholder's  only remedy is to enjoin the completion of the
action  of the Board of  Directors,  this  remedy  would be  ineffective  if the
stockholder  does not become aware of a transaction  or event until after it has
been completed.  In this  situation,  it is possible that the  stockholders  and
Valero would have no effective  remedy  against the  directors.  Under  Valero's
Restated  Certificate of  Incorporation,  a director remains liable for monetary
damages for (i) any breach of the duty of loyalty to Valero or its stockholders,
(ii) act or omissions not in good faith or that involve  intentional  misconduct
or a knowing violation of law, (iii) payment of an improper dividend or improper
repurchase  or  redemption  of Valero's  stock under Section 174 of the Delaware
General Corporation Law, or (iv) any transaction from which the director derived
an improper personal benefit.

         Under Article V of the Restated  Certificate of Incorporation,  Article
VII of Valero's  By-laws and under an  indemnification  agreement  with Valero's
officers and directors (the "Indemnity  Agreement,") each person who is or was a
director or officer of Valero or a subsidiary of Valero, or who serves or served
any other enterprise or organization at the request of Valero or a subsidiary of
Valero,  shall be  indemnified  by Valero to the full  extent  permitted  by the
Delaware General Corporation Law. Pursuant to these provisions and the Indemnity
Agreement,  to the  extent  that such  person  is  successful  on the  merits or
otherwise  in defense of a suit or  proceeding  brought  against  this person by
reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of Valero,  or
serves or served any other  enterprise or organization at the request of Valero,
this person shall be indemnified  against expenses  (including  attorneys' fees)
actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the action.

         Under the Delaware  General  Corporation  Law, Valero generally has the
power to indemnify  its present and former  directors,  officers,  employees and
agents against expenses and liabilities  incurred by them in connection with any
suit to which they are, or are threatened to be made, a party by reason of their
serving in these  positions  so long as they acted in good faith and in a manner
they  reasonably  believed  to be in, or not  opposed  to, the best  interest of
Valero and with respect to any criminal action,  they had no reasonable cause to
believe their conduct was unlawful.  With respect to suits by or in the right of
Valero,  however,  indemnification  is generally  limited to attorneys' fees and
other expenses and indemnification is not available if the person is adjudged to
be  liable  to  Valero  unless  the court  determines  that  indemnification  is
appropriate.



         The Indemnity  Agreement  provides directors and officers with specific
contractual  assurance that  indemnification and advancement of expenses will be
available  to  them  regardless  of  any  amendments  to or  revocation  of  the
indemnification provisions of Valero's By-laws. The Indemnity Agreement provides
for   indemnification   of  directors  and  officers  against  both  stockholder
derivative  claims and  third-party  claims.  Sections  124(a) and 145(b) of the
Delaware  General  Corporation  Law,  which  grant  corporations  the  power  to
indemnify directors and officers,  specifically authorize lesser indemnification
in connection with derivative claims than in connection with third-party claims.
The  distinction  is  that  Section  145(a),   concerning   third-party  claims,
authorizes expenses and judgments and amounts paid in settlement (as is provided
in the Indemnity Agreement),  while Section 145(b), concerning derivative suits,
generally authorizes only indemnification of expenses.  However,  Section 145(f)
expressly provides that the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided
by or granted  pursuant to the subsections of Section 145 shall not be exclusive
of any other rights to which those seeking  indemnification  or  advancement  of
expenses  may be  entitled  under  any  agreement.  No  Delaware  case  directly
clarifies  whether  Delaware's  public  policy would  support this aspect of the
Indemnity  Agreement under the authority of Section 145(f),  or would invalidate
the  Indemnity  Agreement  because  it  does  not  conform  to the  distinctions
contained in Section 145(a) and 145(b). However, Delaware courts have determined
that a corporation can obligate  itself by express  written  contract to provide
advancement of expenses not otherwise  required by statute,  and that the public
policy of Delaware  does not prevent a  corporation  from making these  advances
mandatory.

         Delaware  corporations  also are  authorized  to  obtain  insurance  to
protect officers and directors from certain liabilities,  including  liabilities
against  which the  corporation  cannot  indemnify  its  directors and officers.
Valero  currently has in effect a directors' and officers'  liability  insurance
policy.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

         The  following  documents  are  filed  as a part of  this  registration
statement or incorporated by reference herein:

Exhibit
Number    Description

*4.1      --   Restated  Certificate of  Incorporation  of the Company (filed as
               Exhibit 3.1 to the  Company's  Form S-1 filed May 13, 1997,  File
               No. 333-27013)

*4.2      --   Amendment  to Restated  Certificate  of  Incorporation  (filed as
               Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's  Form 8-K filed on January 11, 2002,
               File No. 001-13175)

*4.3      --   Amended and Restated  Bylaws of the Company (filed as Exhibit 3.3
               to the  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
               December 31, 2001, filed March 14, 2002, File No. 001-13175)

*4.4      --   Rights  Agreement  between Valero Refining and Marketing  Company
               and Harris  Trust and  Savings  Bank (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the
               Company's Form S-8 filed July 21, 1997, File No. 333-31709)

*4.5      --   Amendment No. 1 to Rights  Agreement (filed as Exhibit 4.4 to the
               Company's Form 8-A/A filed May 10, 2001, File No. 001-13175)

4.6       --   Valero Energy  Corporation  2003 Employee  Stock  Incentive  Plan
               (filed herewith)

5.1       --   Opinion of Jay D. Browning (filed herewith)

23.1      --   Consent of Jay D. Browning (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2      --   Consent of Ernst & Young L.L.P. (filed herewith)

24        --   Powers  of  Attorney  (included  on the  signature  page  of this
               registration statement)

---------------------

* Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.




Item 9. Undertakings

     (a)  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1)  To file,  during  any  period in which  offers or sales are being
               made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

               (i)  To include any  prospectus  required by Section  10(a)(3) of
                    the Securities Act of 1933;

               (ii) To reflect  in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising
                    after the effective date of the  registration  statement (or
                    the most recent  post-effective  amendment  thereof)  which,
                    individually  or in the  aggregate,  represent a fundamental
                    change  in the  information  set  forth in the  registration
                    statement;

               (iii)To include  any  material  information  with  respect to the
                    plan  of  distribution  not  previously   disclosed  in  the
                    registration  statement  or  any  material  change  to  such
                    information in the registration statement;


     Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if
     the registration  statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information
     required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment by those paragraphs
     is  contained  in  periodic  reports  filed by the  registrant  pursuant to
     Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
     incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

          (2)  That,  for the purpose of  determining  any  liability  under the
               Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective  amendment shall
               be  deemed to be a new  registration  statement  relating  to the
               securities  offered therein,  and the offering of such securities
               at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
               thereof.


          (3)  To remove from registration by means of post-effective  amendment
               any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
               termination of the offering.


     (b)  The undersigned  registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
          determining  any  liability  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  each
          filing of the registrant's  annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or
          15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where  applicable,
          each filing of an employee  benefit  plan's annual report  pursuant to
          Section  15(d)  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934)  that  is
          incorporated  by  reference  in the  Registration  Statement  shall be
          deemed to be a new registration  statement  relating to the securities
          offered therein, ad the offering of such securities at that time shall
          be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     (c)  Insofar  as   indemnification   for  liabilities   arising  under  the
          Securities  Act of 1933 may be  permitted to  directors,  officers and
          controlling  persons  of the  registrant  pursuant  to  the  foregoing
          provisions,  or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the
          opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification
          is against  public  policy as expressed in the Act and is,  therefore,
          unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification  against
          such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
          incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling  person of the
          registrant  in  the  successful   defense  of  any  action,   suit  or
          proceeding)  is  asserted  by such  director,  officer or  controlling
          person  in  connection  with  the  securities  being  registered,  the
          registrant will,  unless in the opinion of this counsel the matter has
          been  settled  by  controlling   precedent,   submit  to  a  court  of
          appropriate  jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by
          it is  against  public  policy  as  expressed  in the act and  will be
          governed by the final adjudication of each issue.





                                   SIGNATURES

Registrant.  Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, in the City of San Antonio, State of Texas, on the 24th day of June,
2003.

                          VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION



                           By:   /s/ William E. Greehey
                              --------------------------------------------------
                               William E. Greehey
                               Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW  ALL MEN BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that  each  person  whose  signature
appears below hereby  constitutes  and appoints  William E. Greehey,  Gregory C.
King, Jay D. Browning,  or J. Stephen Gilbert or any of them, each with power to
act without the other, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full
power of substitution  and  resubstitution,  for him and in his name,  place and
stead,  in any  and all  capacities  to sign  any  and  all  subsequent  pre and
post-effective amendments and supplements to this registration statement, and to
file the same, or cause to be filed the same, with all exhibits  thereto and all
other  documents  in  connection  therewith,  with the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission,  granting unto each said  attorney-in-fact  and agent full power and
authority  to do and  perform  each  and  every  act and  thing  appropriate  or
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully and for all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby ratifying and confirming all
that said  attorney-in-fact  and agent or any of them or their substitutes,  may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
registration  statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


Signature                      Title                                        Date
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    /s/ William E. Greehey     Chairman of the Board and           June 24, 2003
-------------------------------Chief Executive Officer
    William E. Greehey         (Principal Executive Officer)


    /s/ John D. Gibbons        Executive Vice President            June 24, 2003
-------------------------------and Chief Financial  Officer
    John D. Gibbons            (Principal Financial and
                               Accounting Officer)


    /s/ E. Glenn Biggs         Director                            June 24, 2003
-------------------------------
    E. Glenn Biggs


    /s/ W. E. Bradford         Director                            June 25, 2003
-------------------------------
    W. E. Bradford


    /s/ Ronald K. Calgaard     Director                            June 24, 2003
-------------------------------
    Ronald K. Calgaard


    /s/ Jerry D. Choate        Director                            June 24, 2003
-------------------------------
    Jerry D. Choate

                               Director                          June ____, 2003
-------------------------------
    Robert G. Dettmer

    /s/ Ruben M. Escobedo      Director                            June 24, 2003
-------------------------------
    Ruben M. Escobedo

    /s/ Bob Marbut             Director                            June 24, 2003
-------------------------------
    Bob Marbut

    /s/ Susan Kaufman Purcell  Director                            June 24, 2003
-------------------------------
    Susan Kaufman Purcell





                                  Exhibit Index


Exhibit
Number                                   Description
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*4.1      Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company (filed as Exhibit
          3.1 to the Company's Form S-1 filed May 13, 1997, File No. 333-27013)

*4.2      Amendment to Restated  Certificate of Incorporation  (filed as Exhibit
          3.1 to the  Company's  Form 8-K filed on January  11,  2002,  File No.
          001-13175)

*4.3      Amended and  Restated  Bylaws of the Company  (filed as Exhibit 3.3 to
          the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December
          31, 2001, filed March 14, 2002, File No. 001-13175)

*4.4      Rights  Agreement  between Valero  Refining and Marketing  Company and
          Harris Trust and Savings  Bank (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the  Company's
          Form S-8 filed July 21, 1997, File No. 333-31709)

*4.5      Amendment  No. 1 to  Rights  Agreement  (filed as  Exhibit  4.4 to the
          Company's Form 8-A/A filed May 10, 2001, File No. 001-13175)

4.6       Valero Energy  Corporation  2003 Employee Stock  Incentive Plan (filed
          herewith)

5.1       Opinion of Jay D. Browning (filed herewith)

23.1      Consent of Jay D. Browning (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2      Consent of Ernst & Young L.L.P. (filed herewith)

25        Powers  of  Attorney   (included  on  the   signature   page  of  this
          registration statement)

---------------------

* Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.