Head of Consol Energy expects 2 ethane crackers to be built in Utica and Marcellus region
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that Consol Energy CEO Nick Deluliis believes that both proposed ethane crackers in the Utica and Marcellus shale region — one in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and the other in Belmont County, Ohio — will be built over the next decade.
The petrochemical plants would convert ethane to ethylene and polyethylene, which are used to make many plastic products. Deluliis said that 50 percent of the demand for ethylene and polyethylene exists within a 500-mile radius of the two plants’ proposed locations, according to the source.
Royal Dutch Shell has been preparing the Beaver County site for its ethane cracker, and PTT Global Chemical has been studying the feasibility of building its ethane cracker in Belmont County along the Ohio River. Neither company has committed to building plans, though.
Read more: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review > Consol Energy CEO predicts 2 ethane cracker plants for region
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.