Malfunction triggers elevated flaring at cracker plant

Shell’s elevated flare seen over Potter Township on Feb. 13, 2023.
Shell’s elevated flare seen over Potter Township on Feb. 13, 2023.

POTTER TWP. – A malfunction at Shell’s ethane cracker plant Monday afternoon prompted elevated flaring that’s expected to continue through the evening.

Flaring began around 3:30 p.m. Monday, with flames filling the sky above the facility for hours. The process is designed to burn off excess hydrocarbons during unexpected equipment complications.

More:Regulators say Shell exceeded emissions cap during cracker plant startup

“Flaring is expected to continue through the evening as equipment is returned back to normal operation,” Shell representatives said, reiterating that flaring is a safety device. “We apologize for any inconveniences and are working diligently to minimize the duration of flaring.”

Shell’s elevated flare at its Beaver County ethane cracker plant seen over Potter Township on Feb. 13, 2023.
Shell’s elevated flare at its Beaver County ethane cracker plant seen over Potter Township on Feb. 13, 2023.

Shell leaders have reported a number of flaring incidents at the petrochemical complex since the site’s official mid-November startup. An issue with the steam generator led to ground flaring in late November, and both elevated and ground flares have been activated in recent months.

More:Shell's cracker plant pollution prompts civil lawsuit

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection late last year issued Shell a violation notice for exceeding its rolling limit on air contaminants, or volatile organic compound emissions, during the plant’s commissioning. This was largely due to additional gas flaring, Shell said. Studies have linked heavy exposure to certain volatile organic compounds to respiratory illness, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

"This continued flaring nonstop is unacceptable to the residents of Beaver," said Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community member Bob Schmetzer.

Shell representatives on Monday said all appropriate regulatory agencies had been notified of the incident.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Malfunction triggers elevated flaring at Beaver County cracker plant