Interesting Construction and Process Facts

  • Ethylene Cracker

    Ethylene Cracker

    Within the Ethane Cracking Unit (ECU) alone, there are over 200 vessels and 95 miles of pipe.

  • Quench Tower

    Quench Tower

    Largest structure on site is the “quench tower” in the cracking unit, which is approximately 300-feet tall and 29-feet in diameter, 2000 metric tons in weight; the tower is a key part of the ethane cracking unit.

  • Purge Bins

    Purge Bins

    Tallest structure on the site are the two purge bins that are within the section of the plant that houses the polyethylene units. Those structures are approximately 380 feet tall. Those structures will function as holding tanks where PE pellets receive pre-finishing treatment.

  • Cooling Tower

    Cooling Tower

    The cooling tower – which is slightly upriver from the ECU is over 900 feet long with 32 fans, each of which is 32-feet in diameter.

  • Cogen Plant

    Cogen Plant

    The site will generate its own power – a total of 250 megawatts per day – using natural gas and steam. On a typical operational day, approximately one-third of that power will be exported to the grid.

  • Polyethylene Units

    Polyethylene Units

    Three polyethylene units will have a combined annual production of approximately 1.6 million metric tons (3.5 billion pounds).

Our polyethylene (PE) pellets are all around you

From household goods to environmental liners for retention ponds that preserve and protect the environment, our PE is used for to make products you see every day.

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The polyethylene (PE) pellet manufacturing process

Learn more about the manufacturing process of polyethylene pellets.

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Shell Polymers Safety Brochure

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