If you heard a loud boom Sunday morning in Southeast Houston, you weren’t imagining it.<\/p>\n
The chemical company\u00a0LyondellBasell (LYB) conducted<\/a> a controlled implosion of\u00a0two inactive coker units at its refinery <\/a>near the Houston Ship Channel around sunrise Sunday, prompting questions online from residents, who reported a series of loud booms.<\/p>\n “Sound levels at the point of implosion may reach approximately 140 decibels within the secured 1000 ft exclusion zone-similar to fireworks at close range or aircraft engines during takeoff,” LYB posted to Facebook on Friday, giving notice of the planned demolition.<\/p>\n Video footage shows the towering structures crumbling to the ground in just a few minutes at the 12000 Lawndale St. site. The company said nearby residents might’ve heard a short burst of noise or noticed a temporary dust plume-both expected and part of the controlled demolition process.<\/p>\n Some Houstonians on the r\/Houston Subreddit<\/a> said they heard the blast.<\/p>\n “Just came to ask if anybody had heard any explosions\/booms around the times of 6:30-7:00 AM \u00a0CST,” one user wrote. “I heard 2 back-to-back, but after that, nothing.”<\/p>\n “I thought it was thunder,” wrote another.<\/p>\n The units demolished Sunday were 350\u2013foot-tall cokers that have been inactive since LYB began decommissioning its refining activities at the site in 2025, as reported by KHOU 11<\/a>. The job was contracted to GSD Companies, a Houston-based industrial services firm.<\/p>\n LYB said it continues to assess future options for the site that would support company circularity and low carbon initiatives.<\/p>\n “Alternatives under consideration include development of commercial-scale chemical recycling infrastructure with the company’s proprietary MoReTec technology,” the company wrote on its website. “Other options range from exploring production of renewable and bio-based feedstocks, to supporting growth in low-carbon feedstocks and products.”<\/p>\n More News<\/p>\n Revival | Iconic Texas Panhandle amusement park begins ‘new era’ with grand opening<\/a> For the latest and best from Chron, sign up for our daily newsletter here.<\/a><\/p>\n
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