Shell’s Beaver County plant generates electricity to the grid
Monday, July 12, 2021
Shell’s natural gas cogeneration facility, built to power its petrochemical plant in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, created electricity from each of its three units and distributed power to the PJM Interconnection regional electrical grid for the first time, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times.
The natural gas steam cogeneration plant on site will produce enough energy to power the site and generate about 80 megawatts daily that will go to the grid.
The company started work on the project in 2016. It’s currently about 80% complete.
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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.