Shell announced Tuesday that its Pennsylvania chemical project, Shell Polymers Monaca, has officially begun operations. The cracker will break down ethane molecules to produce pellets that can be used to make plastics for products ranging from auto parts to food packaging. “It can’t be underestimated,” said David Callaghan, head of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, as Shell said it would create 600 permanent jobs. Shell Polymers Monaca is located on 384 acres next to the Ohio River in Beaver County. “Building this world-class facility is a remarkable achievement and one the team can be proud of; it is a showcase of Shell’s project delivery expertise,” said Huibert Vigeveno, Shell’s Director of Refining and Marketing. “With its significant market access, innovative offerings and connected infrastructure, it has Shell Polymers Monaca is well positioned and ready to serve customers with competitive, high quality products.” Gas Phase Reactors and Slurry Reactor The plant, now in operation, will produce 3.5 billion pounds of polyethylene annually, the company said. Production is expected to ramp up to full production by the second half of Year 2023. This is welcome news of progress in the region Entrepreneur John Lacarte He and his partners have bought a golf course near the factory They plan to build an industrial park for plant suppliers We are very excited about the prospect that the announcement of the opening of the plant during operation will lead to Developing the petrochemical industry.” However, there are several neighbors who have concerns about the plant. The Beaver County Community Awareness Society, also known as BCMAC, has established the Eyes On Shell Watchdog. The volunteer group monitors In society the smells, sights and sounds of plants. “Shell said when they started building this plant that they wanted to be a good neighbor,” said Jess Friese, advocate for Three Rivers Water Keeper. “Hopefully we can hold them accountable for that,” said James Cato of the Mountain Watershed League. Once a month for the past few years, Cato and Friese have been working closely with community members to take water samples up and down the Ohio River. They call it the “Nord Patrol” and they search for plastic pellets for plants in the waterway. The Beaver County Marcellus Outreach Community will host a meeting on Monday, November 21st to present a to-do list for Shell to meet community expectations of transparency and accountability.
Shell announced Tuesday that its Pennsylvania chemical project, Shell Polymers Monaca, has officially begun operations.
The cracker will break down ethane molecules to produce pellets that can be used to make plastics for products ranging from auto parts to food packaging.
“It’s a huge economic investment, one of the largest Pennsylvania has seen in recent history. But the jobs cannot be underestimated,” said David Callahan, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition.
Shell said it would create 600 permanent jobs. Shell Polymers Monaca is located on 384 acres next to the Ohio River in Beaver County.
“Building this world-class facility is a remarkable achievement and one the team can be proud of; it is a showcase of Shell’s project delivery expertise,” said Huibert Vigeveno, Shell’s Director of Refining and Marketing. “Thanks to its significant market access, innovative offerings and connected infrastructure, it has Shell Polymers Monaca is well positioned and ready to serve customers with competitive, high quality products.”
Shell began construction on the plant in April 2017. The plant will contain three reactors: two gas phase reactors and one slurry reactor.
The company said the plant, which is now operational, will produce 3.5 billion pounds of polyethylene annually. Production is expected to rise to full production by the second half of 2023.
This news is a welcome advance to the area of businessman John Lacarte. He and his partners bought a golf course near the factory. They are planning to build an industrial park for factory suppliers.
“We are very excited about the prospect that announcing the opening of the plant during operation will lead to the development of the petrochemical industry,” Lacarte said.
However, there are many neighbors who have concerns about the plant. The Beaver County Consciousness Community, also known as BCMAC, founded the Eyes On Shell Watchdog Team. The group of community volunteers observe the smells, sights, and sounds of plants.
“Shell said when they started building this plant that they wanted to be a good neighbor,” said Jess Friese, advocate for Three Rivers Water Keeper. We hope to hold them accountable for that.”
“There is a concern that these pre-production plastic pellets could enter the waterway. These pellets could affect wildlife,” explained James Cato of the Mountain Watershed Association.
Once a month for the past few years, Cato and Friese have been working closely with community members to take water samples up and down the Ohio River. They call it the “Nord Patrol” and they search for plastic pellets for plants in the waterway.
The Beaver County Marcellus Outreach Community will host a meeting on Monday, November 21st to present a to-do list for Shell to meet community expectations of transparency and accountability.
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