Carbon Black Plant Borger, Texas

Two of the five remaining carbon black plants in Texas are next to each other here–one operated by the Sid Richardson Carbon Company, and the other by Orion Engineered Carbons. Carbon black is a powdery black carbon material resulting from the incomplete combustion of a heavy hydrocarbon (e.g. tar, fuel oil, etc.), in a combustion zone fueled by air and natural gas. It is used primarily in synthetic rubber, where it acts as a pigment, as well as a heat dissipator and strengthener. Texas once produced 75% of the nation’s carbon black, with large plants at Big Spring, Borger, Seagraves, Skellytown, Baytown and Aransas Pass.