PA Petrochemicals Plant to Create Thousands of Jobs

After successfully completing site preparation and detailed design and engineering work, Shell Chemical Appalachia is set to begin construction on its major petrochemicals complex in Pennsylvania. The site will contain four processing units, “an ethane cracker and three polyethylene units,” as Shell announced.

The plant will produce 1.6 million tons of polyethylene each year, which is used to make a wide range of products from sports equipment to furniture. Once online, the plant will be an important piece of infrastructure that allows natural gas produced in the Marcellus and Utica shales to be processed nearby, as opposed to being shipped to the gulf and then shipped back up north.

During construction, Shell will create up to 6,000 jobs for construction workers, adding to the already massive number of jobs that the natural gas industry creates each and every year. Once completed, “Shell expects to create around 600 permanent employee positions,” providing good paying and consistent jobs to hard working Pennsylvanians.

Expanding and improving our natural gas infrastructure doesn’t just create jobs, it also improves economies. The new petrochemicals plant in Pennsylvania will be an economic boon for the region, prompting new growth that will help local businesses and families.