ExxonMobil and SABIC announce construction of chemical facility in Texas

EXXONMOBIL and SABIC have announced the construction of a chemical facility and an ethane steam cracker in Texas, US.

The facility will produce materials that will be used in the manufacture of various products such as automotive coolants, packaging, and construction materials. It will include a 1.8m t/y ethane steam cracker, two polyethylene units, and a monoethylene glycol unit.

The joint venture between ExxonMobil and SABIC is known as Gulf Coast Growth Ventures. The JV is part of ExxonMobil’s “Growing the Gulf” initiative which intends to build and expand facilities along the Gulf Coast. It is also part of SABIC’s growth strategy to build new petrochemical facilities in other markets.

Construction is due to begin in the third quarter of 2019 and startup is expected in 2022. The construction will be led by The Wood Group, McDermott & Turner Industries Group, Chiyoda & Kiewit and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries & Zachry Group.

“Building the world’s largest steam cracker, with state-of-the-art technology, on the doorstep of rapidly-growing Permian production gives this project significant scale and feedstock advantages,” said Darren W Woods, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ExxonMobil.

“SABIC is very pleased to move forward on this third joint venture with ExxonMobil – the first to be operated outside of Saudi Arabia,” said SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO Yousef Al-Benyan.