LyondellBasell Manager presents at North Shore Rotary

LYONDELLBASELL Channelview Plant Manager Todd Monette answers a question from a Rotarian, as club president Allatia Harris waits to present him with a club tradition, a “Gold Rim Cup” to all the speakers.
LYONDELLBASELL Channelview Plant Manager Todd Monette answers a question from a Rotarian, as club president Allatia Harris waits to present him with a club tradition, a “Gold Rim Cup” to all the speakers.
LYONDELLBASELL Channelview Plant Manager Todd Monette answers a question from a Rotarian, as club president Allatia Harris waits to present him with a club tradition, a “Gold Rim Cup” to all the speakers.

NORTH SHORE – Rotarians heard about the past, present and future of the Lyondell Channelview refinery, at a talk given last April 23rd by plant manager Todd Monette at their regular weekly luncheon.

Monette also explained the organization known as EHCMA, a joint mutual aid association of all the ship channel refineries.

Monette expressed a pride in the Channelview facility, and said that today the refining business is going strong.

The Channelview plant was started 50 years ago on Sheldon Road, one of the first for Texas Butadine, later known as Atlantic Richfield refining, then as Arco, and later LyondellBasell. They have three refineries in the area, at Channelview, LaPorte, and Corpus Christi. The local plant is now undergoing what is known as a “turnaround” or a shutdown for heavy maintenance. The plant has 998 employees.

LyondellBasell is the third largest refiner in the world, Monette said, with 55 manufacturing locations, 13,000 employees worldwide, and $44 billion annual revenue.

Monette said that the industry has become very profitable, with the advent of shale oils, crude, and tidal oil. Nationwide these developments have led to 1000 permenent jobs, 30,000 construction jobs, and $40 billion in additional business. They generate low-cost Ethane, an advantage to the U.S. in the world market.

About EHCMA, or East Harris County Manufacturers Association, Monette said that it is a association of 90 companies with 130 facilities in the Gulf Coast region, and 30,000 employees, sharing best practice information and safety practices. EHCMA companies spend $12 Billion yearly in taxes, payrolls, and purchases locally. They have invested $5 Billion for air quality improvements in the past 10 years.

LyondellBasell is a major supporter of the Galena Park ISD Education Foundation, having given $30,000 in scholarships this year.