Exxon Mobil Corp. and SABIC advance plans to build massive petrochemical plant north of Corpus Christi

09-Jan-17

Exxon Mobil Corp. and SABIC are advancing plans to build a massive petrochemical plant north of Corpus Christi - beyond the boundaries of two cities, Portland and Gregory. The US$10 bln plant would create an estimated 11,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent positions.
The companies announced the project in July with four sites in mind - two in Louisiana and one other in Texas near Victoria - before increasingly homing in on San Patricio County late last year. Grass-roots opposition picked up in the fall as word spread that San Patricio County increasingly appeared to be the likely pick. As pressure mounted, the Portland City Council made a non-binding ceremonial vote against it in December, encouraging Exxon Mobil and SABIC to build elsewhere.
Exxon and SABIC said they selected the site because of its access to cheap and abundant natural gas from Texas shale fields, as well as the proximity to ports, railways and highways. The complex would include the world's largest ethane cracker, which turns a component of natural gas into ethylene, the primary building block of most plastics, as well as other plastics manufacturing operations. The plant could come online as early as 2021.