ExxonMobil Completes Expansion of US Chemical Production at Baytown
US multinational energy company ExxonMobil has started up two new chemical production units at its Baytown, Texas, manufacturing facility. The $2 billion expansion is part of the company’s long-term growth plans for its US Gulf Coast refining and chemical facilities.
The new performance polymers line will produce 400,000 metric tons per year of ExxonMobil’s Vistamaxx- and Exact-branded polymer modifiers for a broad range of chemical products used to manufacture automotive parts, construction materials, hygiene and personal care products, and various packaging applications.
The new linear alpha olefins unit will produce 350,000 tons per year of Elevexx-branded products, marking ExxonMobil’s entry into the market, the company said. Linear alpha olefins are used in plastic packaging, high-performing engine and industrial oils and other applications. They are also building blocks for surfactants, which reduce surface tension for cleaning and industrial uses, and drag reducing agents, which allow crude to flow through pipelines more efficiently.
“With startup of these two new lines, ExxonMobil is delivering high-value materials for a variety of products that society depends on every day,” said Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions. “We achieved excellent safety performance by leveraging our expertise to plan and execute large projects, while providing meaningful investment in the US Gulf Coast.”
ExxonMobil’s Baytown facility is said to be one of the largest integrated and most technologically advanced refining and petrochemical complexes in the world.
