The Complete Guide to Louisiana's Energy and Industrial Market (2026)

Louisiana is the second largest refining state in the United States and the epicenter of American LNG exports. The state's industrial corridor stretches from Lake Charles on the Texas border through Baton Rouge and the River Parishes to New Orleans, hosting more than 300 process facilities including 15 refineries, at least 150 petrochemical plants, and several of the largest LNG export terminals in the world.

For equipment vendors, service contractors, and consulting firms that sell into the energy and industrial sector, Louisiana represents a market of enormous depth and complexity. The state's refining capacity exceeds 3.4 million barrels per day. Its chemical plants produce ethylene, polyethylene, PVC, chlor alkali products, ethylene glycol, ammonia, and dozens of specialty chemicals. Its LNG terminals export more US natural gas than any other state.

This guide provides a facility by facility overview of Louisiana's major industrial corridors, the companies that operate them, and how vendors and contractors can effectively sell into this market.

The four industrial corridors

Louisiana's energy and industrial activity concentrates along four geographic corridors, each with distinct characteristics and major employers.

The Lake Charles corridor along the Calcasieu Ship Channel is one of the largest petrochemical concentrations in North America. Major facilities include Sasol's $12.5 billion ethane cracker and derivatives complex, one of the largest foreign direct investments in US history. Westlake Chemical operates major ethylene, polyethylene, PVC, and chlor alkali production facilities in the area. CITGO runs a 418,000 barrel per day refinery, the seventh largest in the United States. Phillips 66 operates a 135,500 barrel per day refinery in Westlake.

The LNG sector adds another dimension to the Lake Charles corridor. Cameron LNG operates a three train export facility in Hackberry. Venture Global's Calcasieu Pass terminal is operational, and the proposed Driftwood LNG project would add further capacity. LOTTE Chemical produces ethylene glycol at its Lake Charles facility. The corridor employs tens of thousands of workers across operations, maintenance, engineering, and construction.

Baton Rouge Area

The Baton Rouge area hosts ExxonMobil's 540,000 barrel per day refinery, the fifth largest in the United States and one of the most complex refining and petrochemical sites in the world. The integrated complex includes refining, chemical manufacturing, and polymer production. Other major operators in the Baton Rouge area include Albemarle, which produces specialty chemicals and lithium compounds.

The stretch of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, sometimes called the River Parishes or informally Cancer Alley, hosts one of the densest concentrations of petrochemical manufacturing in the world. Shell operates a major refinery and chemical complex in Norco with 236,721 barrels per day of refining capacity. Valero runs the 215,000 barrel per day St. Charles refinery nearby. Marathon Petroleum operates the Garyville refinery at 585,000 barrels per day, making it the third largest refinery in the United States.

Key companies and what they produce

Understanding what each Louisiana facility produces helps vendors identify which contacts are relevant to their products and services. A valve manufacturer selling into a refinery has different contacts than one selling into an ethylene cracker. A turnaround contractor targeting a 585,000 barrel per day refinery needs different relationships than one targeting an LNG terminal.

The refining sector produces gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and petrochemical feedstocks. Major refiners include Marathon Petroleum (Garyville), ExxonMobil (Baton Rouge), CITGO (Lake Charles), Phillips 66 (Alliance and Lake Charles), Shell (Norco), Valero (St. Charles and Meraux), and PBF Energy (Chalmette). These facilities collectively process more than 2.4 million barrels per day of crude oil.

The petrochemical sector produces ethylene, polyethylene, PVC, chlor alkali, ethylene glycol, ammonia, and specialty chemicals. Major producers include Sasol, Westlake Chemical, LOTTE Chemical, CF Industries, BASF, Dow, and Shin Etsu. These facilities consume enormous quantities of maintenance materials, rotating equipment, instrumentation, and process control systems.

The LNG sector is the fastest growing segment of Louisiana's industrial economy. Cheniere's Sabine Pass terminal is the largest LNG export facility in the United States. Venture Global operates Calcasieu Pass and is constructing the Plaquemines terminal. Cameron LNG exports from its three train Hackberry facility. Together, these terminals represent tens of billions of dollars in installed infrastructure and growing operational spending.