Economic Opportunities


Did you know that the products we use every single day start right here in Pasadena? We drive our automobiles, powered by gasoline and diesel, daily and spend our days surrounded by products that are a direct result of production out of the refineries that we are so blessed to have right in our backyard. Pasadena is home to the country’s largest petrochemical complex and are fortunate to neighbor Port Houston, one of the top container ports in the nation.

Everyday necessities

The refining and petrochemical industries are responsible for creating many of the vital items we use every day.

Chevron Phillips, for example, produces materials found in soaps, detergent bottles, food and beverage containers, patio furniture and even the fragrances that we use every day. Kuraray produces the plastic packaging used to extend the longevity of foods. Oxychem is the second largest merchant marketer in the world of chlorine, which is used for U.S. public water treatment and used in 90% of all pharmaceuticals. BASF produces engineering plastics, transmission lubricants, fuel additives, coolant and brake fluids, coatings for buildings materials to improve durability, water resistance, energy efficiency, safety and aesthetics.

LyondellBasell is one of the world’s largest providers of versatile plastic resins, such as: polypropylene, polypropylene compounds and polyethylene. These materials produce a variety of products that are used to advance solutions in nearly every sector of the economy, including automobile parts, renewable energy technologies, packaging, piping and textiles. Kaneka North America’s scope of work includes creating the elements that go into medical products; Liposorber, which is used for treatment when diet and maximum drug therapy have been ineffective, Lixelle, an indicated treatment of patients with clinically diagnosed dialysis-related amyloidosis and Larciflow, which is used for the treatment of epiphora in patients 12 months and older.

Still not convinced? Have you ever dropped your smart phone into a sink, bathtub or swimming pool and felt like you had just lost everything? Pictures, videos, contact lists and important messages were gone forever. According to American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, those people who are fortunate enough to remove their smart phone from the water unscathed can probably attribute that to Toluene, which is a high-quality, polyurethane sealant made at petrochemical manufacturers. This chemical compound is a life-saver for many, protecting our smartphones and other high-tech devices we rely on every day.

Do you notice a trend? Companies like these, along with the many more we have here in Pasadena, make the fuels that deliver passengers to their destinations, create products that go into life-saving medical technologies and create petrochemicals that are used in the products we need in our everyday lives.

Contributions to the economy

The petrochemical industry has come under scrutiny lately as organizations debate the role that fossil fuels have on the global climate and climate change. What is often overlooked is the economic contributions of the petrochemical industry and the many different products beyond oil and gas that have petrochemicals as a primary building block.

According to a report by the American Petroleum Institute, the petrochemical industry’s success has provided the country with great economic contributions. The report states that the industry supports about $1 trillion in total value added to the economy. This represents 7.3% of U.S. gross domestic product.

In addition, oil and natural gas companies are paying more taxes and fees than other manufacturing companies. The industry has paid the U.S. government an average of $86 million a day in income taxes and production fees, which totals to more than $110 billion since 2000.

Increased Educational and Job Opportunities

Most importantly, our refining and petrochemical industries have worked to increase job opportunities, not only across the country, but right here in our backyard for our citizens to reap the benefits.

We know that petrochemicals are used to create vital items that we use on a daily basis and increasing product demands have led to the the creation of more refineries and plants, thus the creation of more jobs.

Pasadena is also home to San Jacinto College, who has served as the training leader for the petrochemical, energy and technology workforce in the greater Houston area for more than 50 years. In September 2019, they opened the doors to the LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy & Technology, which is the largest petrochemical training facility in the Gulf Coast Region.

Graduates of these programs have a higher opportunity to work in high-demand careers in a variety of different plants across the industry. How many people in their early 20s do you know who have the potential to start off their career earning $60,000 their first year without a four-year degree from a university? We know plenty right here in Pasadena.

According to the petroleum institute, these new job opportunities will lead to increased government revenue. It’s predicted that the petrochemical industry could add up to $171 billion to the United States revenue by 2030.

We are also very fortunate to have the Houston Area Safety Council (HASC) as a strong resource in our community.  With a comprehensive offering of industry solutions, HASC facilitates and simplifies the training process for employers to ensure training is consistent and verifiable. They serve 3,000 Member companies and an additional 12,000 non-member companies, providing a wide range of integrated industry solutions.

Petrochemicals are the building blocks that are essential to making the goods that make modern life possible. Would you want to live in a world where they didn’t exist? We wouldn’t.

We Are Pasadena Proud!