Ineos, LyondellBasell, Occidental eye Gulf Coast projects

A commodity chemical building boom may be in store for the US Gulf Coast. Ineos says it is evaluating sites for a world-scale acetic acid and derivatives plant in the region. The firm, which expects to make a final investment decision by the end of 2023, says the region offers competitively priced feedstocks, among other advantages. Ineos says it is not proceeding with a plant for the acetic acid derivative vinyl acetate at its site in Hull, England, because of a “volatile and uncompetitive energy costs outlook.” Separately, an application for property tax breaks filed with local authorities shows that LyondellBasell Industries is planning a polyethylene plant for its complex at Corpus Christi, Texas. And according to similar state property tax documents, Occidental Chemical plans to invest in its chlor-alkali complex in Deer Park, Texas. The company says the project will boost chlorine and caustic soda output while lowering the carbon emission intensity of production. Additionally, the oil and gas services firms Enterprise Products and Energy Transfer are both considering building large ethylene cracker complexes on the Gulf Coast (see page 11).