LyondellBasell says fire contained at Texas chemical plant

Global chemicals producer LyondellBasell said a fire that broke out at one of its Texas facilities has been contained, according to a company statement. The company noted that the incident was limited to the plant site and that all personnel were accounted for following the event.

The fire occurred at the company’s Houston-area refinery, which has a processing capacity of about 263,000 barrels per day and is considered one of the key refining assets along the U.S. Gulf Coast. While the blaze was brought under control, the incident temporarily disrupted certain operations at the facility.

Industry sources indicated the fire may have been linked to an area around the refinery’s fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, a key processing unit used to convert heavy gas oils into gasoline components. The exact cause of the incident remains under investigation and repair requirements are still being assessed.

LyondellBasell has previously announced plans to exit its oil refining business and shut the Houston refinery by no later than the end of the first quarter of 2025. Analysts say the latest fire could influence the timing of that closure depending on the extent of repairs and operational impacts.