The Gulf Coast is the center of US chemical production, with over 65% capacity for making ethylene. Chemical producers prepared to restart coastal Louisiana and Texas factories after Hurricane Gustav spared the industry in the region. BASF is to restart three of its plants, while the fourth in Geismar, Louisiana requires restoration of electricity.
PPG plans to restart a chlorine and caustic-soda plant in Lake Charles, Louisiana, as soon as local officials lift an evacuation order.
Occidental shut three chlor-alkali plants in Louisiana, is assessing damages, and plans to resume production thereafter.
DuPont Co.'s Louisiana factories in Pontchartrain and Burnside are closed pending the repair of some wind damage and the restoration of electrical power. Production will resume in Sabine, Beaumont, DeLisle, Pascagoula, and Mobile.
Dow Chemical Co., is assessing damages at St. Charles and Plaquemine.
Royal Dutch Shell closed ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol plants in Geismar, and ethylene and propylene plants in Norco.
Huntsman Corp. plans to resume operations at Port Neches, Texas by the end of the week.
Westlake Chemical Corp. is beginning to restart production in Lake Charles, while the plant at Geismar is being repaired.
Exxon Mobil Corp. plans to resume chemical production in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after a Sept. 1 shutdown.
Georgia Gulf Corp. is unsure of when production will resume at chlor-alkali, vinyl resins, acetone and phenol in Plaquemine, and vinyl chloride in Lake Charles.
05-Sep-08 
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