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Royal Dutch Shell ethane cracker plant in Singapore (Shell photo)


Although a final decision still is not official, Royal Dutch Shell continues to brief Beaver County commissioners on its progress in planning an ethane cracker plant to exploit
the rich natural gas play in Western Pennsylvania.

Shell is studying the feasibility of constructing the facility on at a soon-to-close zinc plant site in Potter Township operated by Horsehead Holdings, Inc. 

Tony Amadio, chairman of the board of the Beaver County Board of Commissioners, said he left the latest meeting with Shell officials on Thursday feeling hopeful, Justine Coyne reports in the Pittsburgh Business Times.

"They have not made an announcement, but they try to keep us up to date the best they can," Amadio said. "From what they have said they would do over the last two years, everything they said is moving forward."

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The company outlined plans to  move a section of Route 18, relocate power lines, undergo a large excavation project that would raise the surface of the site three feet above the Horesehead site, construct a temporary overpass to move dirt and construction materials, move the existing rail lines to be parallel with Route 18, and build a roll on roll off dock along the Ohio River, according to Amadio.

Beaver County Commissioner Joe Spanik said Shell reps said they are hoping to get the required permits needed to move forward on the Route 18 project by July. Spanik said the design work has been done, so the next step will be engineering.
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