Plain English on the units that move the Gulf Coast. Written for vendors, rep firms, and account managers — not unit specialists.
Published6 min read
Methanol: the simplest alcohol behind the Gulf Coast's newest mega plants
How methanol is made from natural gas, why the Gulf Coast went from importing it to exporting it, and who operates the plants that changed the trade flow
methanolsynthesis-gaschemicalsgulf-coast
May 18, 2026
Published6 min read
Butadiene: the byproduct the tire industry cannot live without
How butadiene comes out of steam crackers as a co-product, why the US imports a quarter of what it needs, and who extracts it on the Gulf Coast
olefinsbutadieneC4synthetic-rubberpetrochemicalsgulf-coast
May 16, 2026
Published7 min read
Benzene: the aromatic the Gulf Coast cannot stop making
How benzene is produced three ways, why it shows up in everything from styrofoam to nylon, and why selling into benzene facilities is different from every other chemical in the corridor
aromaticsbenzenepetrochemicalsgulf-coastregulatory
May 12, 2026
Published6 min read
Propylene: the molecule hiding in everything you own
How propylene is made three different ways, why the Gulf Coast had to build dedicated plants to keep up, and who operates them
olefinspropylenePDHpetrochemicalsgulf-coast
May 12, 2026
Published5 min read
Ethylene: the molecule that built the Gulf Coast
Plain English on the most important hydrocarbon between Brownsville and Mobile
olefinssteam-crackingpetrochemicalsgulf-coast
May 8, 2026
Coming soon
Ammonia and urea: Haber Bosch and the CF Industries Donaldsonville complex
The nitrogen chain from natural gas to fertilizer
ammoniaureafertilizergulf-coast
Coming soon
Chlor alkali to PVC: the chlorine chain from membrane cell to vinyl
How chlorine becomes PVC and who runs the Gulf Coast vinyl chain
chlor-alkalipvcvinylgulf-coast
Coming soon
FCC: the refining workhorse and what makes one cracker different from another
How fluid catalytic cracking turns heavy oil into gasoline and propylene
refiningfcccatalytic-crackinggulf-coast
Coming soon
Hydrocracking and hydrotreating: the bottom of the barrel money makers
How refineries upgrade heavy crude into clean fuels
refininghydrocrackinghydrotreatinggulf-coast
Coming soon
LNG liquefaction: APCI C3-MR, ConocoPhillips Optimized Cascade, Linde MFC, Shell DMR
The four licensor processes turning Gulf Coast gas into export cargo
lngliquefactionnatural-gasgulf-coast
Coming soon
MDI and TDI: polyurethane intermediates and the BASF Geismar build
The chemistry behind foam, coatings, and insulation
polyurethanesmditdigulf-coast
Coming soon
Polyethylene: HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, and why one cracker feeds three reactor lines
The polymer that moves the most volume on the Gulf Coast
polymerspolyethylenepetrochemicalsgulf-coast
Coming soon
Polypropylene: PP loop, gas phase, and three licensor technologies in one corridor
How polypropylene is made and who operates the Gulf Coast PP trains
polymerspolypropylenepetrochemicalsgulf-coast