Lake Charles Clean Energy is expected to announce the $2.5 billion chemical plant is getting closer to construction.

Leucadia Nation Corp. stated that it signed the contracts today that would allow them to sell methanol, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. These gases would be produced by a plant that converts an oil refinery by-product called petroleum coke. The plant to get these by-products out of the petroleum coke has been proposed for years, but different issues have delayed construction.

An engineer who studied the process of gasification of petroleum coke stated that Leucadia wants to make carbon dioxide to make the process more economical.

Leucadia is still looking for investors but hopes to get construction underway by mid-2013.  Should the project begin 1,500 construction jobs will be created, along with 165 full-time jobs for those working in the plant itself once completed.

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