I just want to say one word to you. Plastics

Mr. McGuire: I just want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.
Benjamin: Exactly how do you mean?

    —The Graduate (1967)

Night shot of the new Ethylene Cracker Complex in Singapore
Source: Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex (SEPC)

A brief petrochemical lesson: Methane is typically what people think of as “natural gas.” Methane is the stuff that burns cleaner than other carbon-based sources of fuel, like oil and coal. But when “natural gas” is mined from the earth, the second largest component by volume is a chemical called ethane. Somewhere between one and six percent of natural gas coming from the ground is ethane. Why is that important? Ethane can be converted to the hydrocarbon ethylene. Ethylene is the “feedstock” (or raw material) used to make most plastics, including polyethylene and PVC.

Polyethylene is the most widely used plastic in the world. Almost all plastic packaging, including shopping bags at grocery stores, the plastic wrap around a loaf of bread, even the plastic bag your frozen peas come in, is made from polyethylene. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is another widely used plastic—particularly in construction of homes and businesses. It’s used in everything from pipes and flooring to insulation, roofing, and even upholstery and clothing. Source: Marcellus Drilling News.

So what does that mean -- is petrochemical industry coming to our region?

"As more wet gas is delivered to market, we anticipate that the [Marcellus] region could become a major hub for America's chemical industry." (ICB, 8/26/11)

Pa., W.Va., Ohio vie for huge new Shell gas plant (AP, 9/3/11)

Shell plans world-scale chemical plant in USA (Shell Press Release, 6/6/11)

Prior to opening their state of the art Ethane Cracker Complex (ECC) in Singapore, Shell commissioned an Enviromental, Social and Health Assessment (ESHA) study. This industry sponsored report summarizes the expected key emissions, discharges and waste to the environment from the ethane cracker (fractionation) plant:

  • Emissions to air (CO2 ~ 2.4 million tonnes/yr, CO ~ 650 tonnes/yr, NOX ~ 2000 tonnes/yr, SO2 ~ 2 250 tonnes/yr, PM10 ~ 200 tonnes/yr) from cracking furnaces, steam boilers, flare, heaters, and the Vapour Destruction Package (VDP). Also trace emissions of benzene from the VDP;
  • Emissions to water from stormwater run-off, treated effluent (proces water, contaminated water & sanitary wastewater) and ~ 300-400 m3/hr of cooling water tower blowdown water;
  • Non hazardous wastes (
  • Hazardous wastes (~ 590 tonnes/yr) including coke, tar, activated sludge, polymer, waste lube oils and waste catalysts;
  • Noise emissions (total predicted sound power level of ~127 dBA) largely generated by cooling water tower, flare, heaters, boilers and furnaces, steam turbines, generators, compressors, motors, coolers and pumps.

This is all coming at a time when President Obama has just overruled EPA science and blocked crucial new protections against smog pollution that have been years in the making, and our legislators are focused reducing and easing air quality standards to support industry.  Any connections?

Obama pulls back proposed smog standards, in victory for business (Washington Post, 9/2/11)

A Debate Arises on Job Creation and Environment  (New York Times, 9/4/11)