HOUSTON – If you heard a loud boom near the Houston Ship Channel on Sunday morning, then you probably heard the sound of the planned implosion at the LyondellBasell Houston Refinery.
The chemical company says it carried out a controlled demolition of two inactive coker units at the refinery, located at 12000 Lawndale Street facilities.
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The structures—about 350 feet tall—have been inactive since refining operations at the site ended in early 2025. LyondellBasell says the implosion is part of the company’s long-term transition of the property and is the final step in the coker-unit demolition work that started last year.
The company said preparations began around sunrise (about 6:30 a.m.) with final safety checks and coordination with local law enforcement. The implosion was conducted by contractor GSD Companies within a secured 1,000-foot exclusion zone on the north side of the site, and once it started, the demolition lasted only a few minutes.
People nearby may have heard a brief sound and seen a short-lived dust plume at the time of the implosion—effects the company said were expected and temporary.
Sky2 was over the implosion site to capture the moment.
LyondellBasell said engineering analysis and planning indicated sound, vibration and air-quality impacts outside the exclusion zone were expected to be minimal, and that any visible dust would be light and temporary.
Drivers in the area could also have seen brief traffic controls near Highway 225 or nearby access roads.