Petrochemical Plants Are a Major Part of Life in Orange County

Orange County has a long history of heavy industry. Oil was discovered near Orange in 1913, and the county quickly became a center for refining and processing. After World War II, big companies moved in. DuPont, Allied, Spencer, Firestone, and Goodrich-Gulf all built chemical and petrochemical plants here. Along with Beaumont and Port Arthur, Orange is part of the Golden Triangle industrial region.

For people who live here, that means many jobs are tied to refining and chemicals. It also means industrial plants are close by. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is the state agency that regulates these plants. TCEQ tracks every permitted site. If you are buying property near an industrial area, look it up in TCEQ's records first.