Matheson Tri-Gas Inc.is relocating and expanding an industrial gases facility in Lake Charles, LA, to the Westlake, LA, area in order to take advantage of a planned multibillion-dollar petrochemical complex. The company said it would build a state-of-the-art air separation unit to supply industrial gases to Sasol Ltd. and Matheson’s existing customers. Sasol in October announced a final investment decision for an $8.1 billion petrochemical complex consisting of an ethane cracker and six chemical plants (see Daily GPI, Oct. 27, 2014). Matheson struck an agreement to build, own and operate the air separation unit and pipeline complex serving Sasol, with cryogenic technology to be supplied by Matheson parent Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corp. The project is expected to be finished in 2016.

A proposal to drill more wells at a site producing for more than 50 years in south-central Los Angeles has been dropped by Freeport-McMoRan Inc. in response to the recent decline in global oil prices, the operator said. Although the plans were canceled, community activists told the Los Angeles Times that they would continue to seek action for the producer’s alleged violations at the well site, including that the well sprayed oil droplets over a nearby apartment building and parked cars.