A Reliable Polyethylene Supply In Your Backyard

A Reliable Polyethylene Supply In Your Backyard

While most polyethylene suppliers are near the Gulf, Shell Polymers is building our polyethylene plant on the Ohio River in Monaca, Pennsylvania. This location strategically places us within 700 miles of the majority of North American polyethylene buyers.

Shell Polymers Northeastern polyethylene plant benefits converters with:

  • Logistical advantages and flexibility
  • Cutting-edge technological innovation in your backyard
  • More reliable polyethylene supply due to reduced exposure to natural disasters
  • Knowledgeable team of experts across key polyethylene converting processes

Plant Milestone Moments

  • Shell Polymers Monaca - Central Maintenance Building

    Title: SHELL_Central Maintenance Building_V2

    Duration: 2:15

    Description:

    A short video showing the handover of the Central Maintenance Building to the maintenance team

    [Kenric Taylor, Central Maintenance Manager speaking]

    The building that we’re in right now is titled the Central Maintenance Building. It’s the place where the maintenance organization is housed and all the associated departments that feed into what we do.

    [Weston Turner, Maintenance Engineer speaking]

    Maintenance will primarily support production in the site, doing reactive and proactive maintenance activities. If it’s equipment that needs to be prepared or anything like that, that’s what we’re on the job to do.

    [Brett Kirk, Engineering Manager speaking]

    Maintenance will be vital in supporting and running a safe and reliable operation for the asset and help start up and commission this facility.

    [Alan Mckee, Construction Manager speaking]

    We have people in ATA and FT1, and now this is our home. People feel excited and re-energized. This is where people are hanging their hats. This is where we’re starting from. This is a state-of-the-art plant that people are proud of.

    [Kyle Ford, Maintenance Manager]

    We really wanted to make sure that there was one central location. In this facility, we have the administrative building upstairs, we’re connected to the warehouse, the technician shops. It’s kinda the one stop place to be for maintenance.

    [Weston Turner speaking]

    The shop is a crazy exciting milestone, as is the CMB. Now, all this furniture that we have, all the gear that we’ve been buying for two-and-half years, we actually get to put our hands on it. We get to touch it. We get to see it. It’s monumental.

    [Mike Lender, Shop Supervisor speaking]

    Over the last week, we’ve had over 250 pallets brought here so we’re sorting through them. It’s really cool to see the maintenance technicians open them up, see what we ordered, sort them through. You see that ownership right away from the maintenance technicians.

    [Billie Jo Haught, Maintenance Team Lead speaking]

    This week has been a great week, being able to come here and have a seat instead of working from home or working from trailers. It’s really great getting this maintenance building handed over to us.

    [Kenric Taylor, speaking]

    It’s beginning to feel like we’re transitioning from a project site to a running asset site. 

    [Kate Justin, Reliability Engineer speaking]

    Seeing this building turned over, seeing equipment turned over, and this building is just another step in this process.It feels really good to be moving forward, one step closer, to the plant being ours, to starting up, to being an unrivaled polyethylene producer. 

    [Huberto Diaz speaking]

    Over the last decade, this project came to life. Whether you were wearing this red uniform, or you were wearing a craft uniform in the field, everyone was all marching, walking in the same direction to make this a success

  • New Administration Building Provides a “Permanent Home” for Shell Polymers

    Administration Building

    Title: Administration Building Handover Pennsylvania Chemicals Project

    Duration: 1:03

    Description:

    A short video showing the administration building being completed

    Administration Building Handover Pennsylvania Chemicals Project

    [Bill Watson, Site General Manager speaking:]

    It feels exciting. It really is that first step into the start-up. This will be the permanent home for, really, the majority of our staff that’s gonna stay here and operate and maintain the plant.

    [Jeroen “Dutch” Blijlevens, GAB Turnover Coordinator speaking:]

    It was a multi-discipline, multi-people, multi-company effort between the implementation contractor and GAB, Shell.

    It was a real good team effort to get this building over.

    [Chris Howell, Shell Project Director speaking:]

    This is the first thing that a lot of people will see when they come to Pennsylvania Chemicals. It’s the star attraction as you walk onto site. I’m really proud! When you look around and you see the detail behind the facility, it really is impressive. And I think folks will come here and be really proud to show up each and every day and work in a facility like this.

    [Chris Jackson, Production Unit Manager, PE Logistics speaking]

    This is a milestone that a lot of people have been waiting for, and now we’re able to call this building our home.

  • Raw Water Treatment Facility is Up and Running

    Water Treatment

    Title: Starting Up Raw Water Treatment Pennsylvania Chemicals Project

    Duration: 1:43

    Description:

    A short video showing the start up of the raw water treatment plant

    [Heather Michaux, UGF Deputy CSU & Maintenance Lead speaking]

    It was January 31st, the day we actually started it up. Snow, polar vortex, the whole nine yards.

    [Scott Thompson, Production Unit Manager, UGF speaking]

    The temperatures outside are below freezing, and therefore, starting up a water plant in these conditions can be extremely difficult.

    [Huberto Diaz, CSU Lead, UGF speaking]

    Everything was ready, and ready to go. You get those butterflies in your stomach.

    [Heather Michaux speaking]

    You’re like, “OK this is the moment of truth,” right?

    [UGF employees speaking over radio]

    “I’m ready.”

    “Yeah, Roger that. 5-9-3-0-1 Charlie, here comes your start.”

    [Heather Michaux speaking]

    Hearing the pump start up and then once it stayed on suction and actually ran, all of this work that we put in all of this effort over, literally, years and years that has gone into actually getting to start up real plant equipment…it was an exciting feeling.

    [Chad DiStanislao, UGF Operator speaking]

    It’s been a long road. There’s been a ton of work to come into this.

    [John Platt, Bechtel Senior Project Manager speaking]

    Today marks an inflection point for the project as we, in earnest, pivot to starting operations.

    [Joe Lollini, UGF Operations Support Engineer speaking]

    This milestone will set off a chain reaction, a sequence of events where eventually we’ll get all of the utilities up and running. We’ll get CoGen up and running. We’ll produce electricity for the first time. And eventually we’ll start the ECU and the Polyethylene Units and it will culminate in that very first pellet.

    [Huberto Diaz speaking]

    Over the last decade, this project came to life. Whether you were wearing this red uniform, or you were wearing a craft uniform in the field, everyone was all marching, walking in the same direction to make this a success.

  • Production Operators Arrive for Their First Shift in Shell Polymers' Finished Control Building

    Shell PE First Shift

    Title: First Shift in Control Building

    Duration: 1:49

    Description:

    A short video showing the production operator team arriving for their first shift

    First Shift in Control Building Transcript

    [Franz Grasser speaking]

    Today is a big day for Shell Polymers Monaca,where operators of UGF are going on shift for the first time.

    Commissioning and start-up is a very sequential thing, and you can not produce products at the end of your process if you have not done the first steps right.

    This is really a big step. We are prepared for it.

    [Jeff Krafve speaking]

    We’re commissioning and handing over the central control building.

    A lot of folks put a lot energy, talent, and effort into bringing this to life.

    This is the control building that will bring the entire plant to life and realize our aspirations for this site.

    [John Plat speaking]

    This is the first proper turnover where we’re providing it to the asset and they’re going on shift and starting their activities on site.

    [Scott Thompson speaking]

    Our operators have been on our team for over two years now. And during that time, prior to operations, we’ve been focusing on training.

    [Ikenna Uche speaking]

    The operators spend a lot of time on the control system, doing a lot of mach drills and actually getting hands-on training on the control system.

    We also have a dynamic simulator where they can practice offline in a very safe environment. The operators are very comfortable and very experienced and well-versed and have all the tools they need to do the job.

    [Scott Thompson speaking]

    It makes me excited to think about what we’re about to achieve as we continue to commission and start up this plant.

    [John Plat speaking]

    It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing to be a part of, a major start-up like this.

    [Ikenna Uche speaking]

    Ultimately, we want to be the best PE producer in the country so this is a step in that direction.

    [John Plat speaking]

    We’re all in this together. We’re moving every day, closer and closer, to making polyethylene.

     

     

     

  • Shell Polymers’ Polyethylene Plant in Monaca, PA Is Making Good Progress at 70% Complete

    Aerial view plant

Improving Customer Experiences With Advanced Technology

Robust Notification System

Our technology solutions will be specifically designed to streamline behind-the-scenes operational processes, so company experts are more efficient and can focus their energy on our customers. These tools will also include a robust notification system to keep converters in the know proactively, so last-minute surprises can be reduced.

Proprietary Digital Hub

At Shell Polymers, introducing new tools and processes, such as our proprietary digital customer hub, is just one way we’re planning to deliver an unrivaled customer experience. Pairing our team of passionate industry experts with advanced technology like this will help converters prevent supply chain disruptions and cut down on costly delays.

Predictive Maintenance Program

The plant’s predictive maintenance program will combine embedded sensors, analytic models, and artificial intelligence to help avert trips and failures in critical equipment.

Rail Tracking

We’re the first polyethylene suppliers with GPS tracking on all of our railcars. Customers can track their shipments through the Customer Hub, ensuring supply peace of mind.

Automated Inventory Tracking

In our research, customers told us they want quick access to information such as the location of their railcar. Because of this feedback, we’ve implemented an automated on-and-off-site inventory tracking system. Through our Customer Hub, converters can also request reports on demand, such as price history or shipment volume by location.

A Plant Backed by Advanced Technologies

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  • Industry 4.0 Examples: Advanced Technologies in Action Throughout Shell

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    As part of our efforts to reimagine the customer experience, Shell Polymers strategically placed our plant’s location in the Northeast, implemented technology, and brought on a passionate team of logistics pros.

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