PORT ARTHUR — Motiva appears to be planning a major expansion to its Port Arthur refinery. Our news partners at the Beaumont Enterprise first reported the proposal Thursday. The company has filed paperwork with the state comptroller for more than 6 billion dollars in improvements to its facility.
Part of the plan calls for construction of a $4.7 billion dollar "steam cracker" to make ethylene. According to the Enterprise, "The expansion could create thousands of construction jobs." The Port Arthur plant is already the nation's largest oil refinery, and this would put Motiva in the petrochemical game.
Motiva would begin construction in 2020, pending regulatory approval. The unit could be online in 4 years by the end of 2022.
