The joint venture, Bayport Polymers, will take ownership of Total's existing 880-million-lb-per year polyethylene facility in Bayport, Texas and a $1.7-billion, 1-million-tons-per-year ethane steam cracker that is being built by CB&I in Port Arthur, Texas. The cracker is slated to begin operating in 2020.

The Environmental Protection Agency has extended to July 31 an earlier July 6 deadline for states to submit a letter of interest for the second batch of funds made available through the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act.

More than a quarter of all construction workers were employed in energy-related jobs in 2017, according to the annual U.S. Energy and Employment Report.

New water-resources legislation, including funds for Army Corps of Engineers projects, continues to advance on Capitol Hill as Senate and House lawmakers seek to follow recent history by enacting such legislation every two years.