The Coming Chemical Boom

Shale Gas Fuels Gulf's Chemical Industry

Shale gas is fueling an expansion of the Gulf Coast's petrochemical industry, bringing jobs but also renewed fears about air quality. With Royal Dutch Shell considering a site in Beaver County for a cracker facility, The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier went to Port Arthur, Texas to see what could be in store for Pennsylvania.

Houston Air Pollution: Preview for Pennsylvania?

An ethane cracker in Beaver County would have a major impact on jobs in Western Pennsylvania. But what impact will it have on air quality, in a region that has struggled for decades to clean up its air? The answer may lie in the city of Houston, home to the largest chemical hub in the Americas, and one of the smoggiest cities in the country.

Chemical Plants Bring Dangers and Jobs for Workers and Community

The fracking boom has led Shell to consider building a large petrochemical plant in Beaver County, Pa. In Louisiana, the shale gas boom has already led to renaissance for the state’s large chemical industry, where jobs are abundant, yet dangerous.

How One Woman Took on Shell to Save Her La. Town

The petrochemical plant Shell is considering building in Beaver County is similar to one that the company operates in Norco, Louisiana. The town was a battleground over how the chemical industry deals with its neighbors. A key figure in the fight was one very determined school teacher, whose only weapon was a plastic bag.

Famed Activist Wilma Subra Helps Citizens Document Pollution

Chemist, longtime activist, and MacArthur Foundation 'Genius' grant winner Wilma Subra speaks with The Allegheny Front about working with people worried about industrial pollution around their homes. The 70-year-old Louisiana resident says she'll only rest when and if "industrial facilities operated appropriately and didn’t have any impact on the communities."

Frequently Asked Questions about Ethane Crackers

What is an ethane cracker anyway? These plants take natural gas and convert it into the building blocks of plastic and virtually every chemical that lives underneath your sink. How do they work?

Air Emissions from Chemical Plants

What are some major air pollutants associated with an ethane cracker? These plants produce two types of emissions that can harm human health—precursors to smog, and hazardous air pollutants.

Environmental Justice and the Petrochemical Industry

Environmental Justice is a movement to ensure that environmental risks and benefits, typically associated with industrial emissions, are

Pipelines May Dampen Ethane Cracker Prospects in PA

Royal Dutch Shell has been inching forward with plans for an ethane cracker in Beaver County, fueled by the region's plentiful natural gas, since early last year. The Pittsburgh Business Times reports that five major gas pipelines under construction may make those plans obsolete.

Reid Frazier Talks About The Coming Chemical Boom

The Allegheny Front's Reid Frazier talks with Paul Guggenheimer, host of WESA's Essential Pittsburgh, about his reporting from the Gulf Coast and what Western Pennsylvania could expect from a proposed ethane cracker that would process shale gas into ethylene, a building block for plastics.