• COMMUNITY & INDUSTRY UPDATES •
Community &
Industry Updates
Stainless Steel World Americas features the latest news and industry innovations. If you would like to feature a product or company news in an upcoming issue of the magazine, please contact Madeline McNabb at m. mcnabb @ kci-world. com
Chevron confirms oil discovery off Louisiana coast
Chevron Corporation confirms an oil discovery at the Bandit prospect in the Gulf of Mexico / America, as announced by operator Occidental. The exploration well is located in Green Canyon Block 680, about 125 miles south of the Louisiana coast.
The well encountered high-quality, full-to-base oil-bearing Miocene sands. The co-owners are currently evaluating results to determine next steps. The discovery has the potential for subsea tie-backs to an adjacent Occidental-operated facility and others in the nearby area.
“ Bandit demonstrates our exploration strategy in action and reinforces the high-quality opportunities in the prolific deepwater Gulf of America,” said Kevin McLachlan, vice president of exploration at Chevron.“ We are working with our co-owners to advance appraisal and development planning in a disciplined manner, leveraging existing infrastructure to help deliver competitive barrels.”
Fluor Corporation has been selected by America First Refining( AFR) to execute the front-end engineering and design( FEED) for their large-scale refining facility in Brownsville, Texas. The AFR facility is the first new refinery to be constructed in the United States in more than 50 years.
The facility will leverage commercially proven technologies to cleanly and efficiently process American shale oil into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Upon completion, the refinery is expected to process more than 60 million barrels per year of domestic crude, supporting domestic energy resilience and cleaner fuel innovation.
“ We are honored to partner with America First Refining on this landmark U. S. project,” said Pierre Bechelany, Fluor’ s business group president of energy solutions.“ Together, AFR and Fluor bring deep technical expertise and proven project‐delivery capabilities, positioning the project for successful execution. This collaboration reflects both companies’ commitment to advancing the nation’ s refining infrastructure.”
Rolled Alloys opens metal processing facility in Arizona
Rolled Alloys, a recognized leader in heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant alloys, announces the opening of its metal processing facility dedicated to better serve aerospace, energy, and industrial customers across the Southwest.
This facility marks a milestone in the company’ s commitment to expanding its capabilities and meeting the evolving needs of its customers in the Southwest region. Located in Phoenix, AZ, the 23,100-square-foot facility is positioned to serve key industries such as space exploration, defense, automotive, oil and gas, commercial aviation, chemical processing, power generation, and thermal processing.
This facility will be the company’ s 10th location in the U. S., marking another chapter in Rolled Alloys’ s journey towards innovation and growth.
Badger Alloys celebrates 60 th anniversary
America First Refining awards Fluor to engineer and design Texas facility
Badger Alloys, Inc. celebrated its 60th anniversary April 1, 2026. The company was founded in 1966. In 1986, Leslie Cowen acquired the business from his co-founders and successfully transitioned it to the second generation of management in 1997 when his son Rob Cowen became president and CEO.
A small, classic foundry in 1966, Badger Alloys has grown to become a modern manufacturing group that encompasses an airset foundry, machine shop, pattern facility, and rapid-response technologies. The company is located in the heart of Milwaukee and serves small businesses and Fortune 500 companies world-wide. Primary industries served include: pump and valve, energy / petrochemical, water, chemical, and marine / defense.
“ What has been most rewarding during the history of this company has been the relationships we have developed with our customers and employees,” said Rob Cowen, president and CEO.“ Some of our customers and team members have been with us from the beginning. They have helped us navigate many changes, from lean manufacturing initiatives to recessions to rapid growth.”
10 Stainless Steel World Americas | June 2026 | ssw-americas. com