Can 'largest' gasworks be cleaner, too? $100 million to grow Delaware River plant

Linde Group, a Germany-based, $17 billion (yearly sales) industrial gas and liquids company, said it "will spend over $100 million to increase the production of its industrial gases plant in Claymont, Delaware," on the Delaware River just below the Pennsylvania border, a longtime industrial neighborhood that is being transformed by gas processing and export facilities using fuels from Marcellus Shale wells and pipelines.

In a statement, Delaware Gov. Jack Markell said the plant will "create jobs while also reducing (Linde's) energy footprint." His office later clarified: "The investment will create many construction jobs, but is also necessary to retain current workers at the plant who would not have continued to work there without this." Markell called it a tribute to Delaware's "welcoming business climate" and workforce.

Linde officials weren't immediately available for comment on how many jobs the expansion might create. The company said in a statement it will build a new Air Separation Unit "to serve Linde customers along the Delaware River via pipeline and liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon for customers in the Delaware Valley."

When work is done in 2019 it will be Linde's "largest liquid merchant plant in the U.S.," producing 1,200 tons of liquid oxygen, nitrogen and argon, plus 400 tons of industrial gases.

The site lies between Sunoco Logistics' Marcus Hook gases and fuels processing center, which is rising on the site of the old Sun Oil refinery and port facilities, and the former Claymont Steel (Evraz) plant in Delaware, which is being demolished prior to planned redevelopment for industry and other commercial uses.

“This new plant represents Linde’s continued commitment to investment in the Americas to meet demand for our essential products and services," said Linde Americas CEO Pat Murphy in a statement.  Like Markell, Murphy said the new plant will both "substantially reduce our energy usage and our overall carbon footprint."

Linde, like France-based rival Air Liquide, new owner of Radnor-based Airgas, has been seeking to buy or build new operations in North America as the U.S. chemical and industrial supply business consolidates. 

Source: Philly.com