Questions and Answers

CO2 – isn’t there a better solution than a flare? It’s a waste of the gas and bad for the environment. Most of the CO2 is emitted through the stacks rather than the flares. 

The flare is an important safety device and also serves as the single most effective device to reduce our emissions through the entire site.  Most process streams are routed to our ground flares and thermal oxidizers, and this process reduces emissions with up to 98% efficiency. The elevated flare is only used as a safety mechanism to ensure the safe operation of the facility.  The flare incinerates the hydrocarbons before they can be released to the atmosphere. 

How often will we encounter start-up and shut-down flaring?

It is anticipated during the startup of the facility while we bring units online, and operationally during unit shutdowns and turnarounds.

When will stack testing begin?

Stack testing for the cogen unit is complete and we will complete additional stack testing as other units come online.

What does flaring on the site mean to residents living around the plant?

On a day-to-day basis, you may notice a very small pilot light in our elevated flare and ground flares (our high-pressure system flares on the west side of our site). They are currently lit and not commonly visible. We don’t anticipate flaring to be a regular occurrence and will do everything we can to limit inconvenience to the community and interruptions in our operations with flaring activity.  Please note if you do see flaring on occasion, it is a safety mechanism designed to ensure continued safe operation of the facility.

Will the community be notified in advance, or after, an abnormal flaring event?

The community will be notified in advance of any planned flaring event on our Facebook page (Shell Pennsylvania Chemicals).  In the event of an unplanned flaring event, the community will be notified once we identify the cause of the need to flare and will share that with you.

What chemicals are being released during flaring? What are the potential contaminants?

Chemicals and components potentially released during flaring may include small amounts of particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. For further information, please refer to our air permit on the PA Department of Environmental Protection website. 

Is this a new flaring process, or has this exact process been done before? What are the potential safety concerns during the process of flaring for residents specifically in regard to air pollution?

The flaring process is a routine process performed throughout the industry and is permitted by the PA Department of Environmental Protection.  More information on our air permit. 

Is it technically possible to capture emissions instead of flaring excess material? Why can’t the hydrocarbons burned in the flares be captured, sent to other users, and used as fuel for other energy needs?

The flare is designed to combust, and thereby greatly reduce, emission levels.

Will the community gain access to the flare camera video feed?

The flare camera video feed is purposed for the facility’s internal use and monitoring.

In regard to the Cooling Water Tower passivation incident, are there any health concerns for the community and how quickly will residents be notified of adverse events?

Based on the data available, the Cooling Water Tower passivation activity did not pose any health concerns for the community. Once we became aware the source of the odor was originating from our facility, we notified the regulatory authorities, launched an investigation, and notified the community on our Facebook page.  Residents will be notified of events that could pose a notable off-site impact via our Facebook page Shell Pennsylvania Chemicals.  If the event is of a serious nature, Beaver County Emergency Services would be contacted by our emergency services team so residents could be notified through reverse 911 mass notification if necessary.

What is the exact method of communicating if something should go wrong – with the “maple syrup odor” incident, locals had to find out via newspaper article many days later?

When preliminary patrols indicated the odor may potentially be originating from our facility, we launched an investigation.  Once it was confirmed the odor was produced through our passivation process, we shared those investigation findings with the community.  Based on the available data, it was determined there were no health impacts to the community. In the event an unforeseen incident on site may potentially pose health impacts to the community, Beaver County Emergency Services would be contacted and would issue a mass notification reverse 911 alert to the community if necessary.

There has been some variation in the story with what happened with sulfuric acid spill on March 19th - what kind of sulfuric acid was it? Whether it is concentrated, fuming, dilute, or 6 molar makes big difference in the toxic effects and environmental effects that it has. 

Shell Polymers uses concentrated Sulfuric Acid between 95% and 98%.  The Sulfuric Acid is not dilute, is not 6 molar and does not fume. 

We hear that you had 2,500 gallons of Acros sulfuric acid from the cleanup.  But there is no mention of what happened to the sulfuric acid from the cleanup.  I think your wastewater permit allows you to dispense things between the pH of 6 and 7 and sulfuric acid solution would be more acidic than that.  So wondering how it was disposed of? 

Shell Polymers is not currently using the brand “Acros” Sulfuric Acid.  The Sulfuric Acid was neutralized and removed from our site and disposed of as a waste at one of Shell’s PADEP permitted waste disposal facilities.  Shell did not use the wastewater treatment plant to dispose of the spilled Sulfuric Acid, thus it was not discharged, but rather properly managed as a waste and disposed of accordingly. 

We’ve heard your fenceline monitoring might be coming online soon and was wondering if you are going to have any citizen participation in this?

Fenceline monitoring data is available for the general public to view.  Any citizen may access this site, review the monitoring reports, and ask questions via the comment box. 

Have you done a health impact study regarding the impacts of the Shell Cracker and if so, is it available to the public?

A health impact study for the facility was submitted as part of our conditional use application to Potter Township. It is part of the public record, and available upon request from Potter Township.

What are the long-term impacts to the health of local residents?

The site is among the most stringently regulated of its kind in the United States and must adhere to state and federal guidelines on air emissions and water usage, which are designed to be protective of human health.

How will you keep the steam from settling on the Ohio River Bridge and icing over the roadway during the winter months?

The steam blows are very localized, producing a minimal amount of tonnage of steam per blow.  The larger steam blows in November and December were most voluminous and they are now complete.

Does Shell require Covid vaccination of all employees to protect the community? 

Vaccinations wouldn’t be required but are encouraged and offered by a local provider. Flu vaccinations are available as well.

Have you educated local fire departments that will be called upon to extinguish a potential fire on Shell’s site about the nature of those fires, the chemicals that might be involved, and the health risks? 

We have an onsite fire department dedicated to and equipped for responding to site emergencies.  In the event additional services may be required, Beaver County Emergency Services would be contacted to notify local departments in its mutual aid system, if necessary, based upon the resources requested.  

How quickly can the river valley around Shell be evacuated in an emergency? What emergency procedures have you worked out with surrounding communities when there is a large toxic emission event, fire, or explosion? 

We understand residents may be asking this question based upon historic experiences with other types of industrial facilities in the area who fall under the jurisdiction of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.  Our facility does not fall under this same response framework. In the unlikely event of an emergency requiring an evacuation, we would be in communication with Beaver County Emergency Services who would make a determination to activate their reverse 911 mass notification system if needed.

In the event of a concern or question about the facility, is there a direct contact number or email available?

Yes.  If you have a question or concern, please don’t hesitate to contact us via our email address at shellchemicalsproject@shell.com, phone number 1-844-776-5581, Facebook Messenger Shell Pennsylvania Chemicals, or through our webpage www.shell.us/poly-e

When will ethane begin to be transported through the Falcon Ethane Pipeline, and is it complete?

The Falcon Ethane Pipeline is complete and was safely filled with ethane (commissioned) in early October. Once the plant is operational, it will serve as the sole supplier of ethane to Shell Polymers Monaca. The 97-mile pipeline system connects three major ethane source points in Pennsylvania and Ohio (Houston, PA; Scio, OH and Cadiz, OH) with new and reliable infrastructure from the rich gas portions of the Marcellus and Utica shale reservoirs.

Where can I find out more information about Shell’s Ethane Pipeline and review FAQs?

Specific information about the Falcon Ethane Pipeline may be found on the Shell Pipeline Website. 

I’m having trouble connecting to your Virtual Meeting.

We’re sorry to hear you experienced challenges while trying to connect to the Virtual Meeting.  Please know a recording of our virtual meetings is available on the homepage of our community website www.shell.us/poly-e.  You can also ask questions after watching the recording by emailing us at shellchemicalsproject@shell.com.   

When you have a community meeting, on the iPad it’s difficult to see the full screen with the Q&A box part on it. Do you have any suggestions?

Thank you for your feedback. We checked with our technology team, and they recommend participating via computer rather than tablet or smartphone if you plan to join online. In this way, your screen will provide the best user interface experience for the meeting.

Are there combustible materials that will be transported on rail cars which could pose a threat to nearby civilians in the event of a derailment or crash? 

We will receive hydrocarbons that we will use in our processing units, as well as ship some of our liquid hydrocarbon byproducts by rail. We will comply with Federal Railroad Authority and Department of Transportation requirements for shipment of materials and hazardous goods. We also have a comprehensive emergency response plan and partner with CHEMTREC for any hazardous material response required offsite 24/7, as well as a dedicated internal team for incident response.

What percentage do you expect to ship PE out on rails vs. trucks? 

The plant is designed to ship 100% of the material by rail with truck shipments being more tailored to individual customer needs and requirements.

Is Hank the Tank Electric? If not, why? 

“Hank” and the rest of our fleet are diesel locomotives. We have had initial discussions with vendors who provide electric locomotives and are interested in partnering to develop the technology further, however we need to ensure these electric locomotives are safe and reliable enough to support our operations before committing to transitioning fuel technologies. Shell continues to engage locomotive manufacturers and support the diesel energy transition.  However, the technology required to support LNG locomotive operations at the level needed for our site is still being developed.

How much additional noise should we expect when rail operations begin? 

Rail operations have been actively ongoing for several years at the site as we have constructed the facility and built the railyard. Most recently we have been bringing in ballast (rock) rail cars to support the final completion of the rail tracks on site and our initial infill of hopper cars to support our commissioning activities. Later this summer as the facility comes online the railyard will begin operating 24/7/365 to support our operations with approximately 80-100 railcars (hydrocarbon and hopper) a day. 

Noise is predominately created by the movement and switching of railcars which includes the use of horns and bells as a primary safety features fulfilling OSHA requirements. There are speed limits in the rail yard to ensure safe and controlled operations but also to minimize noise. For smaller movements we will utilize trackmobiles which are smaller, lighter, and have a lower overall noise profile. We have undertaken noise sampling and are conducting technical analysis for further improvement opportunities.  

Did you examine the microplastics emitted by the plastic road?  

We certainly examined microplastics as part of the process. The additive we use is derived from previously used plastic and it is catalytically depolymerized into a wax. The wax is fully incorporated into the bitumen mix and does not release microplastics.

Does the use of the plastic asphalt additive reduce the use of petroleum-derived asphalt products (per mile of roadway, for example) or does it merely increase durability and therefore more petro product? 

The additive does decrease the amount of liquid product required to bind the product together.  When you add the product to the bitumen binder it becomes thinner and flows more easily, so it takes less to become same amount of aggregate and requires less heating as well. There is also a reduction in hydrocarbons in the process due to this feature. 

How many jobs will there be for your operational plant?

Approximately 600.

Where can I learn more about any open positions?

Find employment opportunities at Shell, including the Monaca plant, on the Shell USA Careers website. Please enter “Monaca” as the site location.

What kind of financial impact will this plant bring to the area in the future?

Shell does not conduct its own economic impact analyses. However we recently commissioned Robert Morris University to perform an economic impact analysis. Shell did not participate in the research. The analysis was performed entirely with publicly available information and could be replicated by others.

How and where are the catalyst chemicals used to initiate the chemical reaction stored?

Catalyst chemicals are stored in a customized building designed to be protective of this material.

My company provided torque tools for the construction process through Bechtel. How do I get my tools considered for maintenance activities, load out, and rail car repair as well as critical applications?

If your company is interested in contracting our supplying with Shell Polymers, please visit the supplier portal at https://www.shell.us/business-customers/shell-polymers/grow-with-shell-supplying-and-contracting-with-shell-polymers.html. Once on the portal page, you will be apply to provide information about your company and register your interest in being considered as a supplier.

How many of the permanent workers who have been hired are from Beaver County?

At this time, we don’t have the exact number of Beaver County workers onsite as one of our measured statistics, though will work on obtaining that information for you! Hiring from the local community is important to us.  We made a $1M investment to create the Shell Center for Process Technology at the Community College of Beaver County to support training for workers interested in working with us or at other sites as process technologists.  We’ve also supported individual students in that program with scholarships.

What work have you undertaken as part of your Cogen (Cogeneration) Unit Commissioning?

Throughout the summer, we conducted steam blows on piping associated with our Cogen Unit. Steam blowing cleans the piping and prepares it for eventual service. In July, we delivered electricity to the PJM Wholesale grid from each of the Cogen’s three units for the first time. Once the site is fully operational, the Cogen will provide electricity for the facility and export about 1/3 of its power (approx. 80 megawatts) to the grid on a typical operational day.

What savings will be realized with the cogeneration facility?

That’s a great question! Thank you for asking, and we will work on obtaining that answer for you.  Our cogeneration facility will produce over 80 megawatts of power when operational – enough to power 55,000 homes in the area in additional to supporting our operations.

Will the plant be landscaped as seen in the May 2021 Community Meeting photos?

The plant will be landscaped according to requirements set forth in the Potter Township Conditional Use Agreement for the construction of our facility.

Do you have a timeline on the bus traffic? When will it begin to decrease?

You may be noticing a decrease in busing activity now as our volume of workers onsite decreases as we move toward the operation phase from the construction phase of the project.

Once construction is complete, will you be offering tours for residents, local communities, or groups?

We appreciate your query.  While at this time we are not offering in-person tours and don’t currently have plans for tours at the start of operation, we would be happy to talk with you about potentially offering your group a virtual tour.  Please contact us at shellchemicalsproject@shell.com with your expression of interest.