BEAUMONT — Port Arthur isn’t the only place in Southeast Texas where refinery expansions may soon be occurring.

ExxonMobil Beaumont Refinery has announced they are potentially expanding their facility.

Sarah Nordin, media relations advisor with ExxonMobil, wrote via email that they are evaluating a potential expansion of light crude refining capacity in North America. The Beaumont refinery is being considered as part of that evaluation.

“If the project proceeds, construction would begin in 2019, followed by unit startup in 2022. New facilities would be integrated into the existing facilities to minimize environmental impact,” Nordin wrote.

Furthermore, ExxonMobil is expanding its manufacturing capacity along the U.S. Gulf Coast through planned investments of $20 billion over a 10-year period.

ExxonMobil previously announced plans to build and expand manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Gulf region as part of its Growing the Gulf initiative.

“Growing the Gulf projects include a new ethane steam cracker at the company’s integrated Baytown facility that will provide ethylene feedstock for two new high performance polyethylene units at the nearby Mont Belvieu facility,” she stated. “A new production unit at the company’s polyethylene plant in Beaumont will increase the plant’s capacity by 65 percent, and expansions at Baytown and Beaumont refineries will add more than 300,000 barrels per day of light crude processing capacity.”

By comparison, Motiva Enterprises refinery in Port Arthur, produces more than 600,000 barrels a day.

ExxonMobil recently acquired a crude oil terminal in Wink, Texas, that is strategically positioned to handle Permian crude oil and condensate from Delaware basin sources near the Texas-New Mexico border for transport to Gulf Coast refineries and marine export terminals.

“The company plans to expand the Wink terminal and add key infrastructure upgrades that will efficiently move ExxonMobil and third-party production from the Delaware, Central and Midland basins in the Permian to ExxonMobil’s operations and other market destinations in the Gulf Coast region,” she wrote. “Those investments, expected to exceed $2 billion, will support short-term construction jobs and long-term positions.”

If undertaken, this project is expected to create up to 1,850 construction jobs and between 40 and 60 permanent jobs upon completion.

Regina Lindsey, president of the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, said they are always excited when a company expands.

“Eighty percent of jobs come from existing businesses and Exxon-Mobil ups our excitement,” she said. “We have a lot of confidence in them and we support their effort to make it work. This shows there are eyes outside of Southeast Texas on us other than the people who live here.”

Jeff Branick, Jefferson County judge, said he is also excited about the potential expansion project at Exxon-Mobil Beaumont Refinery.

“The job creation and capital spending will stimulate the economy and create not only construction jobs, but permanent jobs as well,” he said.