17-10-2017

ExxonMobil begins production on new polyethylene line at Mont Belvieu plant

ExxonMobil Chemical Company announced today that it has commenced  production on the first of two new 650,000 tons-per-year  high-performance polyethylene lines at its plastics plant in Mont  Belvieu, Texas.

The full project, part of the company’s multi-billion dollar expansion  project in the Baytown area and ExxonMobil’s broader Growing  the Gulf expansion initiative, will increase the plant’s  polyethylene capacity by approximately 1.3 million tons per year.

The Mont Belvieu plant capacity will total more than 2.5 million tons  per year, making it one of the largest polyethylene plants in the world. These performance polyethylene products will deliver significant  sustainability benefits enabling lighter weight higher performance  packaging, lower energy consumption and reduced emissions.

A significant portion of Mont Belvieu polyethylene will be exported from  the Port of Houston later this month. At peak, the site will ship more  than 200 containers a day.

“The expansion of our Mont Belvieu facility further enhances our ability  to meet growing global demand for high-performance polyethylene products  around the world,” said Neil Chapman, president of ExxonMobil Chemical  Company. “The investments we’re making through our Growing the Gulf  initiative will not only expand our existing manufacturing and export  capacity, but will further stimulate local economic growth and create  thousands of full-time jobs.”

ExxonMobil is planning to invest more than $20 billion over 10 years to  build and expand manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Gulf region. These  projects are expected to create more than 45,000 jobs, including more  than 12,000 full-time jobs. The expansion covers 11 major chemical,  refining, lubricant and liquefied natural gas projects along the Texas  and Louisiana coasts.