• Baytown expansion to create approximately 2,000 jobs during construction
• Project to maximize the value of increased production from the Permian
• Expansion in Newport increases global manufacturing capacity of Santoprene™ by 25 percent
• Two new production lines add 35 full-time jobs at Newport plant

May, 13, 2019 – ExxonMobil said that it will proceed with a $2 billion investment to expand its Baytown, Texas chemical plant, which will create approximately 2,000 jobs during construction and contribute to the approximate 15 percent return the company expects from its chemical investments.

The Baytown expansion is in addition to the company’s 2017 Growing the Gulf initiative, which outlined plans to build and expand manufacturing facilities along the U.S. Gulf Coast, creating more than 45,000 high-paying jobs across the region.

“Our substantial investments in the United States support ExxonMobil’s long-term growth plans and will result in thousands more high-paying jobs,” said Darren W. Woods, ExxonMobil chairman and chief executive officer. “Through the billions of dollars that we’re investing in the Permian Basin to increase oil production and the expansion at our operations along the Gulf Coast, our company is making significant, lasting contributions to the U.S. economy and the many communities where we operate.”

Woods said the company’s recent investments, such as a major expansion of oil and gas production in the Permian Basin and the planned expansion at Baytown, will continue to boost the U.S. economy.

“Our Baytown chemical expansion will put us in a solid position to maximize the value of increased Permian Basin production and will deliver higher-demand, higher-value products produced at our Gulf Coast refining and chemical facilities,” said Woods.

“Global demand for chemicals is expected to be greater than energy demand growth and GDP growth over the next 20 years,” Woods said.

The expansion, expected to start up in 2022, includes a new Vistamaxx™ performance polymer unit, which produces products that offer higher levels of elasticity, softness and flexibility, attributes that contribute to a reduction in materials used and increased performance in everyday products. The new unit will produce about 400,000 tons of Vistamaxx™ polymers a year.

The project will also enable ExxonMobil to enter the linear alpha olefins market. Linear alpha olefins are used in numerous applications, including high-performing engine and industrial oils, waxes and building blocks for surfactants, polyethylene plastic for packaging, and other specialty chemicals. The new unit will produce about 350,000 tons of linear alpha olefins a year.

ExxonMobil’s Baytown facility is the largest integrated petrochemical complex in the U.S. , the company claims. Founded in 1919, the complex is located on approximately 3,400 acres along the Houston Ship Channel, about 25 miles east of Houston. The facility includes a refinery, chemical plant, olefins plant, plastics plant and global technology center.

ExxonMobil also announced it has completed an expansion of its specialty elastomers manufacturing plant in Newport, Wales, which doubles the plant’s manufacturing capacity and increases global manufacturing capacity of Santoprene™ thermoplastic elastomers by 25 percent.

“ExxonMobil’s high-performance plastics help make automotive and consumer products lighter, resulting in improved fuel efficiency and higher performance, compared with products made with traditional materials,” said Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Chemical Company. “This Newport investment doubles the site’s manufacturing capacity of higher-value products.”

Santoprene™ thermoplastic elastomers are engineered to perform like vulcanized rubber. Exxon Mobil says it can be re-used and re-engineered, leading to reduced shipping weights, improved recycling capabilities and more-sustainable manufacturing.

The project in Wales created approximately 35 full-time production jobs and supported 130 jobs during construction. ExxonMobil also manufactures Santoprene™ in Pensacola, Florida.

Source: Exxon Mobil