Patriarch Petrochemical Plant of the Southwest

Patriarch Petrochemical Plant of the Southwest. . The manufacture of chemicals from petroleum had its beginning in the southwest at the Tallant Gas Processing Plant located 3 miles north of here at the bend of State Highway 11 and Bird Creek. , Built in 1926 by a Cities Service Company subsidiary, the plant process was the research answer to red rust produced in transmission to market of natural gas from the Burbank, Oklahoma field. , The liquid by-product of Burbank gas treatment was first processed into a formaldehyde presevant and alcohols. Processing refinements produced other petrochemicals used in solvents, photographic chemicals, preservatives, medical products, refrigerants, safety glass, adhesives and disinfectants., World War II shifted production of Tallant petrochemicals to high-priority war effort necessities contributing to development of all-weather plywoods for assault boats, pontoon bridges, torpedo boats, planes and aircraft carrier decking. , Another Tallant petrochemical was used in making shatter-proof glass that protected crews of bombers and other war craft., On battlefields, derivatives of Tallant petrochemicals gave relief from pain to the injured, went into wartime medicines and anesthetics, disinfected against disease and kept intransit foods refrigerated. , Recognized as the patriarch petrochemical plant, it was retired in 1954 and the complex at the bend of Bird Creek partially dismantled, but the process that had its beginning in 1926 is still used elsewhere.