LyondellBasell shuts multiple plants ahead of Hurricane Laura's landfall

Houston — LyondellBasell has shut multiple plants in Louisiana and Texas ahead of Hurricane Laura's landfall, a spokeswoman confirmed in an email Aug. 26.

Spokeswoman Chevalier Gray said the company had shut two polypropylene plants in Lake Charles, Louisiana; three PP plants in Alvin, Texas; and a high density polyethylene plant in Bayport, Texas, along the Houston Ship Channel.

The company operates 1 million mt/year and 400,000 mt/year PP plants in Lake Charles, which is among the cities in the storm's direct path.

Hurricane Laura strengthened to a Category 4 storm, packing winds up to a maximum of 140 mph, on Aug. 26 and was expected to make landfall near the Texas-Louisiana state line at midnight or shortly thereafter on Aug. 27.

The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Laura's storm surge along the coastline could reach 15-20 feet at Calasieu Lake in Lake Charles.

Chevalier said a "ride-out crew," or a small team of Lake Charles workers, remain on site "to ensure the safety of the plant and our assets during the storm." Such ride-out crews are common at refineries and chemical plants when storms hit.

LyondellBasell's other shut assets include three PP plants at Bayport near the mouth of the Houston Ship Channel with capacities of 1.16 million mt/year, 455,000 mt/year and 235,000 mt/year. The shut HDPE plant in Alvin, Texas, can produce up to 180,000 mt/year.