Chemical companies’ Harvey relief efforts continue in Texas, Louisiana

(recasts with ConocoPhillips donation)

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Additional chemical and energy firms announced on Wednesday monetary donations as well as other relief contributions after flooding and severe weather battered the Texas coast in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

ConocoPhillips announced a $2.5m contribution to the American Red Cross and a $2.5m contribution to the United Way of Greater Houston.

Valero said it made a $1m donation to the American Red Cross, while polymer producer Kraton donated $25,000 to the organisation, offering to match employee donations to similar charities.

LyondellBasell said it donated more than $15,000 worth of food to Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana to support disaster relief efforts in Lake Charles neighborhoods.

Companies that previously announced donations include Dow Chemical, Chevron, ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell, SABIC and Phillips 66, among others. Most donations are to the American Red Cross.

ExxonMobil announced on Friday before Hurricane Harvey made land fall that it was allocating $500,000 to relief efforts. On Tuesday, the company announced a $500,000 increase to a total of $1m.

Chevron, Dow, Phillips 66 and Shell announced donations of $1m each, while LyondellBasell and SABIC announced donations of $200,000.

While the damage caused by Harvey is still unfolding, observers have called Harvey – which made landfall on 25 August as a category 4 hurricane hitting Houston and eastern Texas – the worst storm to strike the US since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 devastated New Orleans.

Additional reporting by Tracy Dang, Al Greenwood and Stefan Baumgarten