A new steel mill, a major chemical manufacturing expansion and a proposed LNG export terminal demonstrate Louisiana’s ability to compete for investments with global reach. This year’s finalists for Deal of the Year bring together the infrastructure, partnerships and resources needed to turn ambitious plans into jobs and long-term economic opportunity. The honoree will be announced at the Louisiana Energy Awards on Nov. 18.
Argent LNG
In July 2025, the Greater Lafourche Port Commission’s Board of Commissioners approved the acquisition of a 743-acre tract of state land to expand Argent LNG’s project footprint at Port Fourchon to 900 acres.
The transaction was critical, as it gave Argent LNG the space it needed to develop a full-scale $18 billion export terminal with a projected capacity of up to 25 million tons of LNG per year.
For Louisiana, the deal signals that the state’s ports and public institutions can attract, negotiate and execute the kind of complex, large-scale investment that will define the next chapter of U.S. energy. The investment is expected to create hundreds of permanent jobs and thousands of construction positions anchored at Port Fourchon.
During construction, Argent LNG will utilize a modular design approach that reduces construction complexity, shortens timelines and improves capital efficiency, making it one of the more efficiently structured LNG developments in the country. The LNG owner has already secured non-binding “heads of agreement” with Bangladesh, Turkey and others to supply their future LNG needs, connecting a land transaction in Lafourche Parish directly to energy security conversations around the world.
For decades, Port Fourchon has been a vital player in the servicing of deepwater Gulf oil and gas activity. The Argent LNG project adds a new dimension to that identity, positioning the port as a next-generation LNG export hub with global reach.
Hyundai-POSCO
Hyundai Motor Group’s groundbreaking decision to invest $5.8 billion in a new ultra-low carbon steel manufacturing facility in Ascension Parish was unprecedented, as it paved the way for a fully integrated domestic supply chain to support Hyundai’s U.S. auto manufacturing operations.
To seal the deal, the state offered Hyundai a competitive incentives package including a $100 million performance-based grant for infrastructure improvements. Also pivotal was Entergy Louisiana’s agreement to supply the facility’s power needs. Other infrastructure upgrades—road, rail, electric and pipelines—will enable the full development of the 17,000-acre RiverPlex MegaPark and attract future suppliers and customers.
The facility’s electric arc furnace steel mill is expected to produce 70% lower emissions than traditional blast furnaces, aligning with the Hyundai Motor Group’s mission to advance sustainable energy solutions across all its subsidiaries. The mill is expected to produce 2.7 million metric tons of steel annually.
Ultimately, the investment is expected to create more than 1,300 direct new jobs with an average salary of $95,000, in addition to 4,100 indirect new jobs throughout the Capital Region.
Shintech Plaquemine Plant 4
Shintech’s SPP-4 investment significantly expands production capacity at the company’s Plaquemine site with a second ethylene unit and fourth chlor alkali (CA)/vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) unit. Once fully operational, the new units will increase Shintech’s ability to vertically integrate its products.
Close working relationships with Gov. Jeff Landy, the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, Iberville Parish and Entergy were essential to the finalization of the SPP-4 deal. The project is expected to generate approximately 3,500 construction jobs, 160-plus new direct jobs and 100-plus new nested contractor jobs.
The announcement builds on the company’s decades-long history of investment in the area, including seven major projects totaling some $9 billion that have created 725 direct jobs and 940 nested contractor jobs. Shintech’s Louisiana operations have also supported more than 3,000 regional indirect jobs and thousands of construction jobs.
Currently, the facilities in Louisiana and Texas lead Shin Etsu’s Infrastructure Materials business, typically generating 30 to 40 percent of the overall corporate revenue. In Shintech’s 50-year history of PVC production in Texas and 25-year history in Louisiana, the company has multiplied its production by more than 35 times.
