Chevron Phillips Chemical Company will build what the petroleum giant referred to as "the world's largest 1-hexene plant," at its Cedar Bayou Chemical Complex in Baytown, Texas.

While Chevron did not disclose the cost or size of its proposed hexane manufacturing facility, the company also plans to build an adjacent $5 billion Gulf Coast Petrochemicals Facility to refine ethane needed to manufacture ethylene. Hexene, which will be produced by the proposed plant, is a critical component in the production of ethylene and polyethylene, a plastic resin used in a variety of products from bottles to pipes.

"Approval of this 1-hexene project represents a significant milestone for our business and it supports our growth strategy as a leader in the production of normal alpha olefins," said Mitch Eichelberger, general manager in the chemicals division for Chevron Phillips Chemical. "Constructing this project is an important step to ensure we meet the growing demand of our global customer base."

Chevron officials explained their 1-hexene plant will be capable of producing up to 250,000 metric tons or 551 million pounds of the chemical per year. More than a dozen full-time workers will be hired to work at the hexene facility. It is also estimated construction of the plant will create more than 500 jobs.