Officials scoping out the Coastal Bend as the possible location of the world’s largest ethene steam cracker plant have been making the rounds of local government meetings. Exxon Gulf Coast Growth Venture Project visited the Corpus Christi Port Authority board of directors, the Corpus Christi City Council and the Gregory-Portland school board Tuesday, Jan. 18, presenting the plus side of the $10 billion proposed plant. 
The Gregory-Portland area is one of four locations under consideration for the project, a joint effort by ExxonMobil and Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corp. Also under consideration are Victoria and two sites in Louisiana. The company is expected to announce its decision by the end of March.
According to the presentations, construction of the plant will provide 11,000 construction jobs to the area over the five-year period it would take to build the plant. That number came with promises to hire as many as possible locally. Looking local first would also be part of the plan to fill the 600 permanent jobs, which would have an average salary of $90,000 annually.
Not everyone thinks this plant is a good addition to the neighborhood. A group called Portland Citizens United opposes the plant, mostly because of its proximity to Gregory-Portland High School. The plant would be less than two miles from the school on 1,300 acres along U.S. 181 and FM 2986.
“They’ve made it obvious money is all they care about,” said group leader Adair Apple at the school board meeting. “The location may meet their criteria, but it does not meet our criteria.”
Speaking on behalf of ExxonMobil, Robert Tully, an executive with the venture project, countered that similar plants have been good neighbors in other communities.
“We operate these plants day in and day out across the Gulf Coast safely,” he said. 
The ethylene created at the plant would be used to feed three derivative units producing monoethylene glycol and polyethylene. Monoethylene glycol is used in latex paints and automotive coolants and anti-freeze. It is a building block used to create various forms of plastic. Polyethylene is used for film, packaging, bottles, pipes and containers. 
The Portland City Council joined Portland Citizens United in opposing the plant. The council approved a resolution at a December meeting asking ExxonMobil to take the area off the list of possible sites. 
Despite the opposition, the company seems to have its sights set on the Coastal Bend. 
“San Patricio County is the preferred site,” a SABIC spokesperson told the Houston Chronicle earlier this month. “The project is advancing study of the San Patricio site.”
During its rounds Jan. 17, ExxonMobil did get one vote of support. The Corpus Christi City Council adopted a resolution supporting the company’s proposal. The city would provide the industrial water for the site, while nearby towns would provide the drinking water. No votes were taken at the school board or port authority meetings. 
The company is expected to continue meeting with local government officials and other entities over the next few days.