Corbett: Shell not considering other sites for Beaver County ethane cracker

Gov. Tom Corbett said this morning the nation's overall economic health will determine whether Shell builds a plant in Monaca.. (Larry Roberts/Post-Gazette)

 

Royal Dutch Shell's decision to delay a final commitment to building a petrochemical plant in Beaver County is not a sign that the company is scouting other states for the location, Gov. Tom Corbett said this morning.

 

"If they're going to build it, they're going to build it here," said Mr. Corbett in an interview following a morning speech at a natural-gas conference at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center Downtown.

 

It's the nation's overall economic health that will determine whether the firm further delays or decides to pursue the project at all, he said.

 

Shell signed a land purchase agreement with the Horsehead Corp., a zinc smelting operation in Monaca that was going to turn over 300 acres for the petrochemical facility.

 

Pennsylvania beat out offers and tax-incentive packages from West Virginia and Ohio for the plant, but some feared it wasn't a done deal when Shell extended that purchase agreement by six months in December.

 

Mr. Corbett said the extension is lawyers "dotting I's and crossing T's."

 

The state has offered Shell a tax exemption package that is thought to be worth more than $1 billion for the plant, which will process ethane extracted from the Marcellus Shale natural-gas formation.

 

 

Erich Schwartzel:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or 412-263-1455.