FERC Approves Rover Pipe Connection to ET Revolution Cryo Plant

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) was busy last Thursday during its latest open meeting. Not only did the commissioners approve an expansion for Elba Island LNG, they also approved a meter station project that will connect the Rover pipeline in Washington County, PA, to Energy Transfer’s Revolution Cryogenic Facility, a facility that extracts natural…

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MPLX to Build New Harmon Creek III Gas Processing in PA Marcellus

In late 2015, MPLX (i.e., Marathon Petroleum) bought out and merged in the Utica Shale’s premier midstream company, MarkWest Energy, for $15 billion (see MarkWest Energy Investors/Unitholders Approve Merger with Marathon). The “new” MarkWest, aka MPLX, plays on a much larger stage now, including ownership and operation of major assets in the Permian Basin and…

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Same Two Enviro Groups Sue Shell Cracker for 2nd Time in 17 Months

In May 2023, two radicalized Big Green groups—the Environmental Integrity Project (based in D.C.) and the Clean Air Council (based in Philadelphia)—filed a lawsuit against the Shell Polymers Monaca Plant (ethane cracker plant in Beaver County, PA), claiming the plant has repeatedly violated federal air pollution limits (see Radical Antis File Lawsuit Aiming to Shut…

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Shell Pa. Cracker Ready for Prime Time, but Has an Achilles’ Heel

Last Friday, RBN Energy published a blog post declaring that the Shell ethane cracker in Monaca (Beaver County), PA, is now “firing on all cylinders.” The post retrospectively covers the project’s history, from construction through recent problems as the plant was commissioned to the present day. We learned something interesting: Shell, a petrochemical giant and…

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Extra Context re Philly Refinery Fire, Closure, and EPA Fine

Earlier this week, MDN told you about the final chapter in the tragedy of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refining Complex (see Sad Final Chapter to 2019 Philly Oil Refinery Fire: $4.2M Fine). Anti-fossil fuelers are dancing on the grave of the now defunct refinery, celebrating in the final humiliation of a $4.2 million fine…

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Sad Final Chapter to 2019 Philly Oil Refinery Fire: $4.2M Fine

In June 2019, a series of explosions and a massive fire occurred at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refining Complex (see Massive Explosion, Fire at Philadelphia Refinery). It took firefighters a full day to extinguish the blaze. The fire caused the oil refinery complex to close and lay off over 1,000 workers (see Philly Refinery…

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Shell Execs Admit Rocky Start for PA Cracker, Things are Improving

The mighty Shell ethane cracker plant in Monaca (Beaver County), PA, has a new person in charge: Emma Lewis, senior vice president of U.S. chemicals and products at Shell. We told you Lewis had replaced Hilary Mercer back in January (see Shell PA Cracker’s First Birthday – One Unit Still Not Online). Lewis splits her…

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Shell CEO: Monaca Cracker Plant Not Fully Operational Til 2025/26

During last week’s second quarter update conference call by oil and gas giant Shell, the CEO, Wael Sawan, had some interesting comments about the mighty Shell ethane cracker in Monaca (Beaver County), PA. Sawan praised progress at the plant but then said it would be 2025 or 2026 before the plant would be “fully operational.”…

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Shell PA Cracker Must File for Full Title V Air Permit, or Else

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) sent a letter to the Shell ethane cracker plant on Feb. 22 essentially saying, “You’re time is up.” The cracker plant facility has 120 days from Feb. 22 (until Jun. 21) to file for a federal Title V Operating Permit for air emissions. If the facility doesn’t at…

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PA DEP Shakes Down Shell Another $2.6M for Cracker Air Violations

Although Shell maintains flaring and accidental emissions from its new multi-billion-dollar ethane cracker in Beaver County, PA, have not violated state and federal air standards, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) says they have — on numerous occasions. Shell didn’t argue the point, and last May, the company agreed to pay nearly $10 million…

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Shell PA Cracker’s First Birthday – One Unit Still Not Online

The Shell ethane cracker plant in Monaca, PA (Beaver County) just hit a milestone: It’s been up and running (in a manner of speaking) for one year. Except during that one year, quite a bit of the time was spent NOT running due to various technical and equipment issues. According to a review done by…

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PTT Working on Plan to Build Petchem Plant…in Thailand, Not Ohio

This is your friendly (somewhat snarky) semi-annual reminder from MDN that the PTT ethane cracker project in Ohio is dead (see Facing Reality – PTT Ohio Cracker Plant Project is Dead). We periodically look for signs of life in the project, and it has been a flat line for YEARS. Nothing. Local and state leaders…

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Shell’s PA Ethane Cracker Restarts After Weeks of Maintenance

Shell’s mighty ethane cracker plant in Monaca (Beaver County), PA, has been shut down for “weeks” in order to conduct maintenance on the plant. The cracker plant, according to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP), has been down since October and is just now restarting. By our math, it was down for the entire…

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Now-Dead Parkersburg Cracker Site Finally Records Deed Transfer

Braskem, the largest petrochemical company in Latin America (headquartered in Brazil), and its parent company Odebrecht were, at one time, hot-to-trot to build a multi-billion dollar ethane cracker near Parkersburg, WV. Back in 2015, Braskem purchased the 374-acre site that was formerly the SABIC/GE property from Appalachian Shale Cracker Enterprise for $10.9 million. Then things…

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PTT Offers Excuses to Belmont County on Why Cracker Project Stalled

Two weeks ago, MDN editor Jim Willis offered the opinion that PTT Global Chemical is not going to build an ethane cracker plant in Belmont County (see Facing Reality – PTT Ohio Cracker Plant Project is Dead). He backed up his opinion with observations and facts to support it. On Tuesday, the Belmont County Township…

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