Lacassine Operating Company is building a catalyst blending plant in Lacassine to serve oil refineries around the world.
The $12.5 million facility will be the anchor tenant of the Lacassine Rail Terminal operated by Rail Logix in Jefferson Davis Parish, according to an announcement last week. Louisiana Economic Development estimates 40 new direct jobs with annual salaries of over $45,000, and another 123 indirect jobs.
Lacassine Operating is a newly formed partner company of Houston-based Equilibrium Catalyst Inc., which was founded in 1992 in New Orleans. The company provides catalyst-related services at its facilities, where it blends and processes material for domestic and international oil refineries. Major clients of the new plant will include ExxonMobil in Baton Rouge, Citgo in Lake Charles, Phillips 66 in Westlake and the Motiva and Total Port Arthur refineries in Port Arthur, Texas.
Lacassine is located about 30 minutes east of Lake Charles. The rail terminal is along Interstate 10 at the midpoint between New Orleans and Houston. Rail Logix began operating it last October and has installed 500 rail car storage spots, with plans for 2,300.
The state offered Lacassine Operating an incentive package that included workforce training, and the company is expected to use the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.
