Full Circle: Rediscovering the Power and Purpose of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana’s Energy Industry

Growing up in Southeast Texas, I never truly appreciated the towering industrial plants that loomed over the horizon. They were just there—silent sentinels of progress, their flares burning into the night sky like artificial stars. My father worked at one, as did the fathers and brothers of my childhood friends. The plants were a backdrop to our lives, a given, like the humid air or the winding Sabine River. But we never really considered what they represented. I'm excited to share a journey of understanding with you.

As kids, we joked about the smell—“the smell of money,” our parents called it—but we never thought about the knowledge, skill, and precision required to keep those places running. The refinery lights twinkled like a distant cityscape, yet we saw only an industry we took for granted. As we got older, some of us followed our fathers’ footsteps into the plants. Others, including myself, set out to escape what we perceived as a carcinogenic, coastal-industrial wasteland. It's a journey of understanding that has evolved, and I'm eager to share it with you.

It's funny how life comes full circle.

In the mid-2000s, I found myself back in Southeast Texas, standing inside a refinery in Port Arthur, working on construction projects that were more intricate and advanced than I ever imagined as a child. It was a return I never expected, a confrontation with a world I had once overlooked. The complexity of it all—the miles of pipe, the hum of machinery, the precision of operations—demanded respect. Yet, once that job ended, I left again, retreating to East Texas, thinking I was finally done with this place.

Then, in 2020, the world shifted. The pandemic uprooted lives and forced many of us to reconsider what mattered. Once again, I returned to the region, joining the training and HR team at Cameron LNG in Southwest Louisana. Each morning, before dawn, I drive toward the facility, and the sight before me never fails to strike a chord. The plants—once just a background to my childhood—are now a beacon of energy, their lights stretching across the horizon, glowing against the early morning darkness.

Some love them, some hate them, but there is no denying their impact. These plants provide thousands of jobs, directly and indirectly, sustaining families and livelihoods across our region. Beyond that, they fuel the world—literally. The energy, plastics, and raw materials that shape modern life come from places like this. Their impact on our community is profound and undeniable.

It took me years to see it, but I understand now. The refineries, petrochemical plants, and LNG facilities are not just industrial giants. They are the backbone of this region, a testament to the hard work and ingenuity of the people who call this place home. And somehow, despite all my efforts to leave, I have found my way back to it. Maybe I never indeed left.

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