Tag: Brazoria County Petrochemical Council

Building the Industry: Brazoria County’s Petrochemical Story

Posted on by tabithamwalles

Brazoria County’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and progress. It is a story of people —visionaries, workers, and leaders — who built industries that shaped the world.

The early 1900s started with oil being found near West Columbia igniting a new era of opportunity. In 1912, innovation took hold as Brazoria County became the first in the U.S. to produce sulfur, a breakthrough that sparked economic expansion. The Freeport Sulphur Company, bustling with hundreds of workers by 1930, was more than a business — it was a sign of a growing, thriving community. And during World War I, Brazoria County’s resources, including live oak nails, helped build the warships that defended our nation.

Then came the 1940s, and with them, a wave of transformation. In 1940, Dow Chemical saw the promise of Brazoria County and built the largest magnesium plant in the United States, just in time to supply the essential materials needed for World War II. This wasn’t just industrial progress — it was a technological breakthrough. Extracting magnesium from seawater seemed impossible, yet Dow made it reality. And to support the workers who powered this vision, Dow built more than a plant; they built a town. Lake Jackson was carefully designed as a model community, offering families a place to live, thrive, and grow together.

At the same time, war efforts demanded more, and the U.S. government turned to Brazoria County once again. The Sweeny Complex was built in 1942, the only refinery designed and built from the ground up by the U.S. military to produce high-octane fuel for Allied aircraft. When the war ended, Phillips Petroleum saw its value and purchased it in 1947 for $13 million, cementing its place as a cornerstone of American industry.

As the decades passed, Brazoria County never stopped innovating. Through the years, other leading petrochemical manufacturers saw the benefits of doing business in Brazoria County and moved to the region, further solidifying its reputation as an industrial powerhouse.

The dawn of the 21st century brought yet another leap forward. In 2002, Freeport LNG was founded, transforming Quintana Island into a hub of energy trade. What began as an import facility soon pivoted to exports, and by 2019, it had become one of the world’s most significant liquefaction sites. Today, it ranks as the seventh-largest in the world and second-largest in the U.S., setting the gold standard for sustainability as the largest all-electric LNG plant globally.

Brazoria County is more than a place on a map—it is a testament to human ingenuity, to industries that rose from the ground and changed the course of history. Built by industry, strengthened by innovation, and sustained by the hardworking people who drive it forward, this county stands on the shoulders of giants. As we look ahead, we honor their legacy by continuing to lead, to grow, and to shape the future.

Brazoria County Petrochemical Council Looks at Sustaining Operational Excellence through Human Performance at Symposium

Posted on by tabithamwalles

Freeport, TX (March 11, 2025) – To err is human. Finding ways to improve future performance is
smart. That was the message at the Brazoria County Petrochemical Council’s (BCPC)
Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) committee’s recent Sustaining Safety Excellence
through Human Performance symposium. The event was held Feb. 13, 2025 at the Brazosport
Safety Council in Freeport.

Presenters included BCPC member companies LyondellBasell and Chevron Phillips Chemical
talking about why and how they are focused on improving human and organizational
performance. The keynote speaker was Bob Catinazzo, Executive Vice President of Operations
for PPI Global, a leading provider of safety and culture transformation solutions.

Symposium Highlights

  •  People can’t continue to do the same thing and expect different results
  • Historically human errors have been addressed at an individual level, but most errors
    are caused by systemic drivers influencing a person’s behavior
  • Systems, processes and procedures need to be made more error resilient
  • Leaders need to understand where they can implement safeguards to make it easier to
    succeed and harder to fail
  • Building a proactively accountable culture is a path to reducing human error and risk

The highly-attended symposium ended with company representatives and work teams talking
with the presenters about how they were going to look for areas that could be improved on.

 

About the Brazoria County Petrochemical Council
The BCPC consists of more than 25 member companies producing thousands of raw materials and
intermediate products used in everyday life, resulting clean water and energy, safe food packaging,
effective hygiene products, lifesaving medicine and medical equipment, advanced electronics,
sustainable construction materials, affordable clothing and safe and fuel-efficient automotives.
The annual economic output for the companies associated with the BCPC is $12+ billion. The total
economic impact of the industry supported $24 billion in total spending. Through its member
companies, BCPC employs 12,259 full-time direct employees, 75% of them living in Brazoria County. For
every job created directly by the industry, another 2.85 jobs are created, resulting in 39,995 indirect and
induced jobs. Our employees contribute over 35,000 hours of volunteer service the community each
year.

Fast forward from Signing Day

Posted on by bcpetrocouncil

The Brazoria County Petrochemical Council’s Signing Day has been an avenue for local seniors to land a job right after high school, giving them the opportunity to blossom into a career.

Dow Chemical, Associated Builders and Contractors and more than 50 other companies have partnered in BCPC Signing Day to bring in the next generation of construction and manufacturing employees by bringing in graduating seniors in Career and Technical Education programs from 20 surrounding high schools. Each student sits down with four different companies on a designated “Interview day,” then on Signing Day, it is revealed which companies hired them.

Michael Martinez leads the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of Career Signing Day.

However, Dow Analyzer technician Edward Sablatura’s signing day looked a bit different. Because Sablatura graduated in 2020, he was not able to sign with a company until 2021, he said. Nor did he get to experience signing day because of COVID-19.

After graduating, he received a job as a deckhand at a marina. It was about nine months to a year when he received a call about becoming a pipefitter for Phillips 66.

“I ended up leaving after nine months because I was going to work for BASF, but a second wave of COVID hit, and this job got canceled,” Sablatura said. “I went back to deckhand until I could find another job.”

After working as a contractor for a supply shop, Sablatura got a job at BASF as an analyzer technician and was there until October, when he began his career at Dow.

As an analyzer tech, Sablatura said he works on instruments that control the process of the plant and unit.

“I work in the hydrocarbons unit, so we get our product, and we put it in a furnace,” Sablatura said. “It tells me what we’re putting into the furnace, the chemicals we’re breaking into a concentration. It also tells us what product we’re putting out, its purity and how much of it we were making.”

For Sablatura, Signing Day helped him get into the plants after graduating from Brazoswood High School and get a foot in the door, he said.

“I think it’s a great program because many people don’t know what they want to do after they graduate high school,” Sablatura said. “I knew I wanted to work in the plants, but many people never thought of it. There are more opportunities than just what Signing Day offers. It’s a great opportunity to get a start out of high school.”

Lance McLaren, analyzer technician for INEOS, also had an unusual experience with Signing Day.

“My experience is probably a little different than everybody else’s,” McLaren said. “I actually was competing at a track event whenever they interviewed for signing day. I communicated with the people who had put it on, and they had set up for me to go in a day later and interview with the companies.”

McLaren graduated from Sweeny in 2022, and afterward, Contech hired him as an electrician’s apprentice. Six months later, McLaren was hired by INEOS as an I&E apprentice.

“I gained the experience, and six months later, I was given an opportunity as an apprenticeship through INEOS,” he said. “I only became an analyzer technician a little over six months ago. So I’m still learning and doing a lot of new training today.”

In the spring of 2023, McLaren graduated from Brazosport College with an associate of science in instrumentation. He is returning to college to get his bachelor’s in industrial management and hopes to climb the ladder, he said.

“This gave me a great stepping stone to start and help me grow my career,” McLaren said. “Signing Day made it extremely easy because it helped compile a lot of places that opened a lot of doors.”

Ashley Shugart, of Contech Contractors, feels similarly, saying Signing Day built up her confidence and interviewing skills and put her name out to potential future employers.

Contech hired Shugart from Signing Day in 2023 after she graduated from Columbia High School. While working for Contech, she went to Brazosport College and graduated in May with her associate’s in instrumentation.

Shugart’s job is troubleshooting various transmitters, flow meters and valves.

“I try to figure out why they aren’t functioning properly and fix it so we can properly run and monitor the process in the plant,” she said. “I’m getting a lot more hands-on experience on troubleshooting valves to monitor how everything’s running in the plant safely without over-pressurizing or being too hot.”

Shugart plans on returning to college to get an analyzer and electrical degree. Her goal is to move up the ladder and eventually become a manager.

“I enjoy what I’m doing, and the way Signing Day helped me get a foot in the door has made me realize how much I liked doing this occupation as an internet tech,” Shugart said.

Michael Martinez, a Performance Contractors pipe welder, also said Signing Day gave him a foot in the door for his career. Performance Contractors hired Martinez out of Signing Day in 2022, and he instantly felt that’s where he needed to be.

“The companies that I interviewed with weren’t really my cup of tea, but Performance Contractors is more hands-on and they offer ability which is what I was going for,” Martinez said. “So we chose each other. They helped me a lot, and they’ll take care of you.”

As a pipe welder, Martinez said it’s very straightforward, depending on the machine you’re operating. Martinez typically deals with long, heavy pipes and, therefore, has to be careful when they’re rotating to avoid massive damage or injuries, he said. Martinez is in the process of getting his associate degree in quality control at Brazosport College, and eventually, he wants to get his bachelor’s degree to become a certified welding inspector.

“I’m really close to getting my associate’s degree; I just gotta find the time to finish my classes,” Martinez said. “Signing Day was the opportunity to start making money as soon as I got out of high school and start my career.”

Cynthia Zelaya is a reporter for The Facts. Contact her at 979-237-0151.

Brazoria County Petrochemical Council Tackles Workplace Heat Stress with Landmark Symposium

Posted on by bcpetrocouncil

With recommendations for different practices, monitoring, and technology…

Freeport, TX (March 18, 2024) –Given the hot and humid climate in Southeast Texas, for the first time the Brazoria County Petrochemical Council (BCPC) Environment, Health, and Safety (EH&S) Committee conducted a “Beat the Heat” symposium. The seminar was on February 22, 2024, at the Brazosport Safety Council in Freeport, TX. The event marked a pivotal step in the fight against occupational heat stress injury, a threat to workers’ safety which transcends age and fitness levels.

Working in the heat presents potential hazards to workers at BCPC sites year round.

The symposium drew upon heartfelt personal stories, confirming that heat stress spares no one and is a significant concern within the petrochemical manufacturing industry. Experts, leaders from the BCPC, front-line workers, and OSHA representatives provided viewpoints based on their own experience, that of colleagues, to form a comprehensive picture of the challenge at hand.

Key Highlights from the Symposium
There were a number of solemn reminders about the serious, even life-threatening consequences of heat related injuries. Some of these were:
– Trying to demonstrate one’s endurance or ‘toughness’ was cited specifically as a cause of serious injuries.
– The relevance of OSHA’s original 1972 heat exposure guidelines were discussed along with the updates that remain relevant 52 years later.
– The symptoms, rates, and grave consequences of heat-related illnesses were described in detail and punctuated by pointed and even tragic personal stories.
– Various companies showcased effective strategies and best practices for preventing heat-related illnesses, from hydration monitoring to managerial involvement.
– Technological innovations like consumable hydration energy gels and cooling equipment received spotlight attention.

Constant Vigilance Required
The symposium concluded with a strong consensus: rigorous education, adherence to OSHA guidelines, adoption of advanced technologies, and industry-wide collaboration are paramount to safeguarding the workforce.
Actionable recommendations were established to ensure the momentum started at the BCPC EH&S Beat the Heat Symposium:
– All meeting materials were dispatched to all in attendance to ensure comprehensive knowledge dissemination.
– A call for organizations to review and refresh their heat stress prevention protocols.
– Schedule in-depth training sessions to ingrain symposium learning into respective company cultures.
– A directive to leverage cutting-edge technologies for enhanced worker protection.
– A benchmark for tracking heat-related incidents, despite previously reported unreliable figures.

Looking Ahead:
– A post-symposium survey to collect participant feedback will be circulated to all in attendance.
– Distribution of a thorough resource compendium spanning technological tools to expert contacts.
– The planning of a subsequent symposium to evaluate progress and confront new challenges will be planned.
The BCPC EH&S Committee applauds the participants’ fervent engagement and their pledge to undertake proactive measures in their respective organizations. Occupational health and safety is an evolving field that demands continuous vigilance and cooperation.

About the BCPC
This press release serves as a part of the commitment to ongoing education, improvement, and the pursuit of a safer working environment for all involved in the petrochemical industry.
BCPC member companies produce 1000s of raw materials and intermediate products that impact the quality of all of our lives every day, which directly results in: clean water and energy; packaging that protects food; hygiene products like soap and deodorants; antibiotics and other medicines, clothing materials, products that help people stay connected to their digital lives but also lifesaving equipment like pacemakers; from home insulation to appliances and furniture; the automotive industry; heating and cooling systems at home and at work; plus much more.

The economic impact for the companies associated with the BCPC is $4+ billion. This includes payroll, local purchasing, state and local taxes, capital expenses, and charitable contributions.
Through its member companies, BCPC employs 9,500 full-time direct employees and 6,800 full-time contractors. It is estimated that for every job created directly by the industry, another 5 to 7 jobs are created, equaling another 100,000 indirect jobs.

BCPC is dedicated to promoting and protecting the health, safety, security, environment, and economic well-being of the industry. We will continue to raise awareness about the economic value and benefits we bring to the local area and to the world.

Industry to pay for Surfside Beach Playground

Posted on by bcpetrocouncil

New equipment for Surfside Jetty Park will be made wholly from recycled plastics….

ANGLETON — Fifteen Brazoria County petrochemical companies have partnered to bring a new playground to a county park made from recycled plastics.

The representatives from the Brazoria County Petrochemical Council assembled Tuesday morning before commissioners’ court to announce the $210,000 donation. The money will allow the county to replace the playground at Surfside Beach Jetty Park, which had to be removed because it became a hazard after long-term exposure to the elements.

Representatives of the Brazoria County Petrochemical Council and Brazosport County Parks Department pose with county commissioners Tuesday after announcing the BCPC would donate $210,000 to provide a playground made of recycled plastics for Surfside Jetty Park.

“Anytime you look at investing dollars into something like that, you’re talking about some serious dollars. So we were prepared to go back to the drawing board,” Brazoria County Parks Director Bryan Frazier said. “What could we put out that would last a little longer?” The petrochemical council reached out about that time suggesting a partnership and asking what potential projects the parks department would have in mind. Installing playground equipment made from recycled plastics jumped to the top of the list.

“It gives the interpretive message of what we are all about anyway, which is, ‘Don’t throw your plastic bottles on the ground,’” Frazier said. “Do something positive with them; recycle them. And they answered the call.”

Contributors to the council’s donation include MEGlobal Americas, Dow Chemical, BASF, Freeport LNG, Shintech, K-Bin, Shin-Etsu, Olin Corp., Port Freeport, DSM, Vopak Industrial Infrastructure Americas Freeport, Ineos, Phillips 66, Chevron Phillips Chemical and LyondellBasell.

It likely will be about six months after the new equipment is ordered before the playground is open, Frazier said. The department hopes to place the order as soon as possible, and it will take several months to arrive, he said.

The $210,000 donation should cover most if not all of the cost of the equipment and installation, Frazier said.

https://thefacts.com/news/industry-to-pay-for-surfside-beach-playground/article_1e84ed07-9062-5235-bf57-fe8051ece01f.html

 

Career Signing Day Wins Major Award for Helping Students Find Careers in Industry

Posted on by Wendy Irwin

Career Signing Day Wins Major Award for Helping Students Find Careers in Industry

BCPC Signing Day Committee Accepts Award at CURT Conference

Greg Sizemore, Executive Vice President at CURT; Jim Ellis, President at CURT; and BCPC Career Signing Day Committee Members: Jessie Jennings, Executive Director at Brazosport ISD Education Foundation; Spencer Cole, Sr. Talent Acquisition Advisor at BASF, Wendy Irwin, Community Relations Liaison at Chevron Phillips Chemical; and Aaron Ennis, Brazosport ISD Resource Development Coordinator

The Brazoria County Petrochemical Council (BCPC) Career Signing Day was awarded the Workforce Development Award by the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT), an international recognition for extraordinary, exemplary, and innovative training and education programs that encourages individuals to pursue a career in the construction industry and/or enhance individuals construction skills. Additionally, BCPC Career Signing Day won the top award of $5,000 jointly sponsored by CURT, the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER), and Ironworker Management Progressive Actions Cooperative Trust (IMPACT).

Created four years ago, the BCPC Career Signing Day has “signed” over 80 high school students into craft careers. Modeled after athletic signing days, Career Signing Day is an occasion for graduating high school seniors to be placed in full-time roles for work and on-the-job training. It connects the career and technology curriculum at local high schools to life-sustaining careers in the industry.

“This award is a reflection of everyone’s hard work and dedication to growing our future workforce,” said Aaron Ennis, Chair of the BCPC Workforce Development Committee and Brazosport ISD Resource Development Coordinator. “None of this would be possible without the collaboration of the people at owner companies, construction companies, school districts, and community colleges.”

CURT is an association of leading corporations in the United States and Canada dedicated to promoting

cost-effective construction methods. CURT members recognize that training, education, and recruitment are essential to excellence in construction project delivery. As a result, CURT founded the Workforce Development Awards to recognize companies and organizations for extraordinary, exemplary, and innovative recruitment, training, and education programs, encouraging people to pursue construction careers.

The BCPC Career Signing Day application will be open for high school seniors in January 2023 and closes on March 3. Interviews will be on April 5 with May 1 being the 5th annual BCPC Career Signing Day.