Louisiana Starts 2008 with $29 Billion in Energy and Petrochemical Projects

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In Louisiana, predominately energy and petrochemical companies are developing more than $29 billion in industrial capital and maintenance projects. More than 420 major projects are planned to begin construction in Louisiana in 2008 or beyond. About 76% of these projects are energy related, including power plant construction projects, petroleum refinery expansions, and oil & gas terminal construction projects.

Click on the image at right to view a chart showing the breakdown of planned project spending by industry.

The Power Industry leads all industries in Louisiana with 70 projects totaling more than $8.7 billion in projects. Cleco Power LLC, the regulated electric utility branch of Cleco Corporation (NYSE:CNL) (Pineville, Louisiana), which mainly supplies electricity to central Louisiana, has 11 major projects on the books totaling about $720 million. Projects at Cleco involve everything from a $10 million boiler upgrade to a $400 million repowering of a 550-megawatt unit.

The Petroleum Refining Industry is hopping in Louisiana, as well, with 94 projects totaling $2.8 billion. Valero Refining Company is planning 20 projects totaling more than $1 billion at its handful of refineries and terminals in Louisiana. Projects include everything from a $4 million flare system upgrade emissions project to a $125 million delayed coker unit expansion.

The Chemical Processing Industry is the most active industry in Louisiana with 126 projects totaling more than $4.8 billion in planned spending. For example, Air Products and Chemicals Incorporated (NYSE:APD) (Allentown, Pennsylvania) is planning a $100 million grassroot hydrogen plant in Garyville, Louisiana, and is also planning maintenance turnarounds at plants in Convent and Geismar.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a marketing information service specializing in industrial process and energy related industries with products and services ranging from industry news, forecasting, plant and project databases, as well as multimedia advertising campaign assistance.