In 2024, Chevron has made significant investment into its Houston, Texas, operations.

Photo courtesy of Chevron Corporation

Just two months after Chevron announced it would be relocating its HQ from San Ramon, California, to Houston, Texas, the company will now invest $66.5 million to upgrade the site. The leading oil company announced renovations to nine floors of its 3-million-sq.-ft. downtown Houston building, although it did not disclose what the project entails. A derecho that hit the city in May 2024 led to a number of damages to the new Chevron HQ after broken glass was thrown into the building. The project is slated to begin in December, with full completion anticipated for August 2025. Once operational, the company aims to relocate California employees to Texas over the next five years to join the over 7,000 employees stationed in the region. In September, Chevron closed on its acquisition of 77 acres just 33 minutes northwest in Cypress for a rumored research and development campus.

Sustainea and Primient entered a co-location partnership to produce a renewable alternative to petroleum-based monoethylene glycol.

Photo courtesy of Indiana Economic Development Corporation

Sustainable chemistry company Sustainea, a joint venture between Brazil-based Braskem and Japan-based Sojitz, selected Lafayette, Indiana, as the home of the company’s first U.S. Bio-MEG facility. Sustainea will invest $400 million to produce monoethylene glycol (MEG) to be used as a renewable, plant-based alternative to petroleum-based MEG. “The decision to locate the plant in Lafayette followed a comprehensive evaluation, considering everything from the carbon footprint to the sustainability of the entire value chain,” said Sustainea Chief Business Officer Éverton Van-Dal. “We evaluated sustainable corn production in the region, market access and the availability of local talent for Sustainea's first industrial facility. The significant support from state and local government incentives was also a key factor in the decision.” Food and industrial ingredients company Primient will supply the site with corn dextrose for production of polyethylene terephthalate, which can be used in applications ranging from apparel to packaging. The site is expected to become operational in 2028, creating 191 new jobs. The project announcement comes after a trade mission by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb to Brazil in April with a focus on the agbiosciences sector.

Indonesia Battery Corporation aims to increase Indonesia’s role as an EV battery manufacturer.

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A new joint venture between the Indonesia Battery Corporation and China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Company will soon establish a new $1.2 billion battery cell manufacturing plant in the city of Karawang. Located in the West Java province, the planned 15-gigawatt facility will be constructed in phases until completion in 2027. The JV will aim to position the country as a vital player in the global battery and EV market, while building its domestic supply chain. Indonesia’s nickel reserves have made the industry a key focus for government officials in terms of attracting foreign investment. By 2030 the country aims to build its EV battery capacity to 140 gigawatt hours. Once operational, the JV will join the activity of companies like Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solutions who also have pursued battery cell production in
the region.

Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore, edited by Adam Bruns