Posts under ‘Pennsylvania Shell ethylene cracker plant’

…this operation spews out a delightful cocktail of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere, including lovely chemicals like benzene, toluene, and naphthalene. Who wouldn’t want to breathe in those toxic fumes?

Posted by John Donovan 26 May 2023

Shell, the generous and environmentally conscious oil giant, finally faces some consequences after months of residents tirelessly raising concerns.

Pennsylvania has finally taken action and “cracked” down on the Shell plant, which has been causing havoc with its operations. In an act of goodwill, Shell has agreed to pay a measly $10 million to Pennsylvania for exceeding emissions limits during the plant’s troublesome launch. How thoughtful of them! read more

We can all sleep soundly knowing that Shell will continue to pollute our air and water, while the authorities turn a blind eye, and the community basks in the glory of their unwavering benevolence.

Posting by John Donovan 24 May 2023

In a stunning display of benevolence, Shell Chemicals Appalachia, LLC has agreed to part ways with a whopping $10 million as a token of their appreciation for repeatedly violating air pollution regulations.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) and the Shapiro administration have graciously accepted this gesture, marking their first feeble attempt at enforcement since the plant came online in November 2022. But fear not, residents, because Shell, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to resume operations without bothering to notify you in advance, just as they promised in that quaint virtual meeting back in April. read more

Posted by John Donovan: 19 May 2023

Let us rejoice in the glory of Shell’s magnanimous actions, for they are fixing the mess they created…

Oh, joyous news! Shell’s Beaver County Cracker Plant, the epitome of environmental responsibility, will be gracing us with its presence in “shutdown mode” for a few more weeks. Isn’t it delightful to see such a caring and compassionate corporation taking the time to address its countless issues?

Since its grand opening in November 2022, this model of excellence has managed to accumulate numerous citations from state regulators. Bravo, Shell! You’ve truly outdone yourselves in polluting and disregarding the well-being of our planet. read more

Posted by John Donovan: 12 May 2023

Shell Faces Lawsuit Over Blatant Air Pollution Violations at Cracker Plant

Shell is being hit with a federal lawsuit for its relentless breaches of permitted air pollution limits at its ethane cracker plant in Beaver County. Attorneys from the Environmental Integrity Project and Clean Air Council have taken legal action against Shell, highlighting the company’s repeated disregard for air quality regulations.

According to the lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for Western Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection has issued a shocking twelve violation notices related to air quality since January 2022. Additionally, Shell has submitted nearly forty malfunction reports during that time, yet the state has failed to take any meaningful enforcement actions or impose penalties on the company. read more

Posted by John Donovan: 12 May 2023

Shell Faces Federal Lawsuit for Repeatedly Polluting the Air

Oil giant Shell is under fire as an environmental group launches a federal lawsuit, accusing the company’s plant in Beaver County of flagrantly disregarding air pollution limits.

The Environmental Integrity Project and Clean Air Council are demanding severe penalties and an immediate cessation of what they denounce as Shell’s illegal release of smog-forming pollutants from the Monaca plant. read more

Shell tries to quash air quality fears as bad smells and elevated benzene counts emanate from Beaver County chemical plant

When a terrible odor blanketed the area around the Shell cracker plant earlier this month, residents had only their noses and sporadically high readings from public air monitors to assess the situation.

Many were left wondering what they were exposed to and whether it was dangerous.

On Tuesday, Shell officials held a virtual meeting to discuss the air monitoring results surrounding the event. read more

Odors, pollution leave residents uneasy as Shell reports release at cracker plant

Shell: Expect ‘continuous’ flaring at cracker plant during maintenance

CHRISSY SUTTLES   Beaver County Times

MARCH 28, 2023

POTTER TWP. – Residents should expect continuous elevated flaring at Shell’s ethane cracker plant as crews perform maintenance and repairs at the facility.

Shell leadership announced a controlled shutdown of portions of the Beaver County petrochemicals complex Saturday for repairs and maintenance on one of the unit systems.

“This will require us to fully activate our elevated flare for a period of time,” company representatives posted on Facebook. “We apologize for any noise or visual disruption this may cause our friends and neighbors.” read more

Your Turn: Shell’s cracker plant is off to a bad (and dangerous) start

Joseph Minott  |  Special to The Times

19 March 2023

If the first three months of operations at Shell’s petrochemical plant are any indication, the next 30 years are going to be stressful and hazardous for nearby Beaver Country residents.

The community is locked into a lasting and significant source of plastics production and dirty air pollution that will degrade the Commonwealth’s air quality and our environmental legacy for decades to come. Shell clearly isn’t interested in operating safely or responsibly ― so it’s up to regulators and citizens to force them to get emissions in check.

The Shell Polymers Monaca plant in Potter Township officially began operations in November of last year. Even before opening day, the plant was already posing a threat to the surrounding community. From the very beginning, Shell has not managed to keep its pollution to safe and legal levels. It has set a terrible precedent for decades to come, and there’s no reason to expect Shell will act differently ― unless it’s forced to do so. read more

“Shell has received three notices of violations, submitted at least 10 malfunction reports and violated the prohibition on the visible mission…”: “Those effects can include things like cancer and respiratory aggravation, potentially leading to asthma.”

CBS PITTSBURGH

Residents want answers about loud bang, orange glow at Beaver County Shell cracker plant

BY MEGHAN SCHILLER: UPDATED ON: MARCH 15, 2023 / 10:22 PM / CBS PITTSBURGH

MONACA, Pa. (KDKA) – Community members in Monaca are demanding answers after a loud bang and an orange glow filled the night sky from across the river at the Shell cracker plant.

Shell posted to Facebook apologizing for the loud noise Tuesday night, but residents KDKA-TV’s Meghan Schiller talked to said the explainer just left them feeling more confused and frustrated, and they still don’t know why there’s a hose spraying water at the plant almost 24 hours later.

“Eyes on Shell got notification from watchdogs around 9:50 or 10 o’clock at night of both the loud booms that are mentioned in Shell’s Facebook post as well as the light,” said Anaïs Peterson, Petrochemicals Campaigner with EarthWorks.

People started sending pictures to the community watchdog group Eyes on Shell. They shared pictures with KDKA-TV showing the dark smoke and bright orange color filling the sky.

“When they’re operating correctly, usually you don’t see any flare, any flame shooting out of the top,” said Dr. Clifford Lau, project manager of the Upper Ohio River Valley Monitoring Group. read more

CBS News

Shell cracker plant once again issued pollution violation notice

BY PATRICK DAMP: FEBRUARY 18, 2023 / 8:44 AM / CBS PITTSBURGH

INDUSTRY, Pa. (KDKA) – The Shell cracker plant in Beaver County has once again been issued a pollution violation notice. 

This is the third time the state’s department of environmental protection has said the plant has exceeded emission limits, once again violating rolling 12-month standards in November and December.

The plant has only been operational since November. 

The DEP said in November it emitted 716 tons of volatile organic compounds, 200 tons above what is allowed.  read more

GROUPS URGE PA TO TEMPORARILY HALT OPERATIONS AT  SHELL CHEMICAL PLANT FOR ONGOING AIR POLLUTION VIOLATIONS

Pittsburgh, PA — A pair of environmental organizations today sent a letter to Pennsylvania urging the state to temporarily halt operations at a Shell plastics chemical plant northwest of Pittsburgh that has repeatedly violated air pollution limits and recently released plumes of black smoke for several hours.

Clean Air Council and the Environmental Integrity Project asked the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to temporarily halt operations of the Shell Polymers Monaca plant in Beaver County until the company can demonstrate it can operate in compliance with pollution control laws. read more

REUTERS

Environmental groups plan to sue Shell’s new Pennsylvania plant over emissions

8 Feb 2023

Two environmental groups announced on Feb. 2, 2023 that they plan to sue Shell Chemical Appalachia over air pollution, just about three months after the startup of operations of Shell’s 1.6-million tonnes per year facility with capacity of polyethylene production, and related ethane cracker in Pennsylvania.

The Environmental Integrity Project said in a press release that along with another environmental group named Clean Air Council it filed “a notice of intent to sue (…) for repeated violations of air pollution limits,” it said. read more

Pa. advocates issue intent to sue Shell cracker for emissions violations 

JON HURDLE: Inside Climate News: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: FEB 3, 2023

Two environmental groups said on Thursday they intend to sue Shell Chemical Appalachia, operator of a big new petrochemical plant in Potter Township, for its violation of federal and state air-quality standards.

The Environmental Integrity Project and the Clean Air Council gave Shell a required 60 days to respond to their notice of intent to sue on the grounds that the company violated the federal Clean Air Act, a state plan to implement it, a Pennsylvania air-quality law and the state permits under which it is allowed to emit specific quantities of some contaminants. read more

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Flaring emissions dominate pollution from Beaver County’s Shell plant

ANYA LITVAK: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [email protected]: Jan 22 2023

September was a tumultuous month for the Shell chemical plant in Beaver County.

On Sept. 3, a missing O-ring in a circulation pump led to a leak of isobutane vapor. Two days later, brown emissions were seen coming out of high pressure ground flares — two metal combustion chambers that burn off unwanted gasses from the ethane cracker.

Three days after that, two separate flanges leaked hydrocarbons, and an ethylene refrigerant compressor tripped after it registered a high dew-point temperature. It tripped again two days later because of high vibration, which cascaded into a trip of several other systems. read more

“We have questions to answer” about single-use plastic waste, reveal internal emails from Shell

24 Dec 2022

Shell is under scrutiny as a result of internal emails put into the public domain relating to the controversial Shell Petrochemicals Complex situated along the Ohio River in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Extract from a related article 

The multi-billion-dollar Shell facility was fully operational in November after years of construction and has already been charged by state environmental agencies for exceeding the annual limit for volatile organic compounds that create lung-damaging smog. Among the documents, released on December 9, was an email correspondence within Shell’s communications team. read more