World’s Largest Refining Catalyst Plant: world record in Port Allen, Louisiana

October 23, 2023

Port Allen, Louisiana, United States--Shell Catalysts & Technologies, a member of the Shell family of companies, located in Port Allen, Louisiana, in the city of Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge Parish, is expanding; the expansion will allow the facility to increase manufacturing capacity by an additional 15,000 tons per year for the World’s Largest Refining Catalyst Plant, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"The largest refining catalyst plant in the world is expanding. Shell Catalysts & Technologies, a member of the Shell family of companies, is located in Port Allen, Louisiana, just eight miles from the State Capitol in the city of Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge Parish," the official press release says.

"The company expects the expansion to create 17 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of more than $94,000 while retaining 86 existing positions. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 57 new indirect jobs, for a total of 74 new jobs in the Capital Region.

"Shell Catalysts & Technologies develops products that are activated by lower amounts of heat, electricity or steam, resulting in a reduced energy intensive refining process, the company says. The expansion will allow the facility to increase manufacturing capacity by an additional 15,000 tons per year.

"“For over a decade, Shell Catalyst & Technologies has called Port Allen its home,” West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Anna Johnson said. “When companies in Louisiana choose to expand here, it reaffirms our status as the best state to do business. Shell Catalyst & Technologies continues to surpass our community expectations, and this expansion is a key pillar of our long-term growth strategy.”

"The expansion is expected to create 17 jobs with an average annual salary of more than $94,000, LED said. It is also expected to create 57 indirect jobs. There are 86 employees at the plant, which is run by Shell’s Catalysts and Technologies division," The Advocate says.

"The work will boost capacity of “high-performance” catalysts at the Port Allen plant — the largest refining catalyst plant in the word — by an additional 15,000 tons per year. Shell officials declined to reveal the plant's current output.

"Preliminary construction on the project began earlier this year, LED officials said. Shell and the state announced a final investment decision Monday. Equipment installation is expected to begin in September 2024, and final product testing is expected by the end of that year."

"One of the world's largest suppliers of catalysts for the refining industry, Criterion Catalysts & Technologies L.P., officially opened its flagship, world-scale catalyst manufacturing facility in Port Allen, Louisiana, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony," the Criterion Catalysts & Technologies says.

"The facility opening represents a multi-year effort by Criterion beginning in 2006, when it announced the company was moving to Louisiana following the purchase of Southern Ionics Inc.'s Port Allen facility. Since their purchase, Criterion has made a more than $350 million investment to upgrade and expand the facility and increased the facility's workforce from 17 individuals to 80.

"This strategic move to Port Allen enables Criterion to meet the increase in hydroprocessing catalyst requirements to produce clean fuels, while continuing to provide customers with the effective and cost-efficient catalysts and technologies. Additionally, having facilities in key areas around the globe, like Louisiana, gives Criterion better insights and rapid response capabilities to local trends or an individual customer's situation."

"Port Allen, Louisiana could easily top the list of best places to live in the South. Its small hometown atmosphere with diverse locally owned shops, restaurants, and a variety of recreational outlets makes it an ideal place for families," the NOLA.com says.

"It’s also home to Shell Port Allen Catalysts & Technologies, the world’s largest hydrotreating catalyst plant. That’s a big deal for Port Allen, for Louisiana, for Shell, and for industrial customers and consumers.

"The Catalysts & Technologies Port Allen Plant is vital to Shell’s integrated portfolio in Louisiana of chemical and refining assets. Shell assets in the Gulf of Mexico region include more than 2,500 miles of midstream pipelines, the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Norco, Shell Geismar, Shell Convent, and Shell Deepwater."

"At Shell Catalysts & Technologies’ Port Allen, Louisiana plant, inventive naming is one aspect of its personable work atmosphere. The flagship catalyst manufacturing plant is located on Catalyst Drive. The plant’s powder production unit is called PAPA, an acronym for Port Allen Precipitated Alumina," the Shell Global says.

"Construction on the new PAPA expansion project started in early 2019, and by September 2020, it has been fully commissioned and operating per design. The project included construction of a new wing as well as increasing the capacity of existing equipment and exporting powder via rail.

"The PAPA plant expansion has doubled the Port Allen plant’s capacity to produce precipitated alumina powder. Precipitated alumina powder is a key raw material for catalyst production."