ExxonMobil said recently that it will proceed with a USD2 B investment to expand its Baytown, Texas chemical plant, which will create approximately 2,000 jobs during construction and contribute to the approximate 15% return the company expects from its chemical investments.
The Baytown expansion is in addition to the company’s 2017 Growing the Gulf initiative, which outlined plans to build and expand manufacturing facilities along the U.S. Gulf Coast, creating more than 45,000 high-paying jobs across the region.
The expansion, expected to start up in 2022, includes a new Vistamaxx™ performance polymer unit, which produces products that offer higher levels of elasticity, softness, and flexibility, attributes that contribute to a reduction in materials used and increased performance in everyday products. The new unit will produce about 400,000 tons of Vistamaxx™ polymers a year.
The project will also enable ExxonMobil to enter the linear alpha olefins market. Linear alpha olefins are used in numerous applications, including high-performing engine and industrial oils, waxes and building blocks for surfactants, polyethylene plastic for packaging, and other specialty chemicals. The new unit will produce about 350,000 tons of linear alpha olefins a year.
