Shell ethane cracker construction to start later this year
Friday, April 21, 2017
Royal Dutch Shell PLC, a subsidiary of Shell Chemical Appalachia LLC, is almost done with site preparation, design and engineering to begin construction late this year on its ethane “cracker” complex in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, according to Oil and Gas Journal.
So far the completed works include the installation of 4,200 steel pilings for the foundations of several permanent structures, relocation of an existing state highway and improvements to interchanges to benefit area traffic during construction. Additionally, Shell finished building two large river docks for the delivery of large equipment via barge.
While construction won’t begin until later this year, the complex is still on schedule to begin commercial production early in the next decade.
Learn more: Oil and Gas Journal > Shell’s Appalachian ethylene complex construction set for late 2017
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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.