ExxonMobil and Saudi Arabia-based SABIC said June 13 they will proceed with construction of a chemical facility and a 1.8 million metric ton ethane stream cracker in San Patricio County. The $10 billion joint venture, called Gulf Coast Growth Venture, received final environmental regulatory approval from the state to build an ethane steam cracker, two polyethylene units and a monoethylene glycol unit. Construction will start in 2019Q3, and startup is expected in 2022.
Darren W. Woods, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, said, “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.” The facility will produce materials used in manufacture of various consumer products, including automotive coolants, packaging, clothing, and building and construction materials.