After approx 24 months of planning, ExxonMobil has proposed investments of several hundred million dollars in its Baton Rouge refinery to make the site more competitive, as well as positioning it for a potential major expansion in the coming years.

While the total investment is expected to be several hundred million dollars, only $240 million of the amount was disclosed as eligible for potential property tax abatements.

Jobs Available

“The projects would retain 1,300 existing jobs at the refinery, and If this project goes forward, it will create over 600 construction jobs for each of the next three years” said Exxon Mobil’s Refinery Manager, Gloria Moncada.

In addition to these existing and new construction jobs, the investment also would provide more than 20 full-time job opportunities for graduates of the north baton rouge industrial training initiative, a collaborative program spearheaded by Exxon Mobil in 2012 to provide no-cost, fast-tracked industrial craft training for community residents.

About the NBRITI

From their website, the NBRITI is a collaborative effort comprised of diverse community, industrial, and educational partners throughout the Greater Baton Rouge area, all committed to one goal: to provide a sustainable process to recruit, train, and develop North Baton Rouge residents for successful careers with local industrial employers.

The program will train for Millwrights, Welders, Pipe fitters and Electricians.

Job placement is also available for those students who fit the Ready to Go! framework designed to empower the students to be accountable for their own successes.

Details on these programs can be found here.

Project Start Date

The projects are pending final engineering, design and investment decisions.

Ultimately, a decision to proceed could come from Exxon Mobil in 2021.