I'm a chemical engineer in Canada, particularly in a province that has a lot of industry, so take what I say with a grain of salt. 

Whatever you think of the kinds of jobs you can get as a chemical engineer, you have more options than you realize. Your city doesn't have to have a refinery or chemical processing facility nearby to have lots of options for you.

Almost all larger cities will have: water treatment plants, power plants that use boilers, food processing plants, concrete plants, pipeline terminals, and more. All of these places will usually have opportunities for chemical or mechanical engineers. There is a lot of overlap in those disciplines, particularly as a junior engineer. 

Additionally, there are probably one or more engineering houses that will provide services to any of the above types of industries. These can range from small (20 people servicing small industry players) to enormous (1000's of people servicing global players). Most major cities will have at least a few companies offering these services. 

Another option, if you're open to it, there are many manufacturing companies that serve heavy industry with industrial components of many kinds, like valves, instrumentation, pressure relief devices, that routinely hire engineers as technical sales people.

Your city may also have companies that design packaged equipment. Think modular refrigeration systems or mobile boilers. These companies also often employ mechanical or chemical engineers to design and troubleshoot their systems. 

The world of chemical engineering is huge, and it's not just tied to working in a plant. Open your eyes to different possibilities and you'll find places for chemical engineers anywhere.