Impact

Webinar examines link between shale gas and chemical manufacturing

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. -- A Web-based seminar focusing on the role of shale-gas development in chemical manufacturing will be presented by Penn State Extension at 1 p.m. on Jan. 17.

The one-hour webinar, "America's New Industrial Revolution: A Renaissance for U.S. Chemical Manufacturing," will feature Dan Borne, president of the Louisiana Chemical Association.

Marcellus wells in Pennsylvania and West Virginia are producing 7 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas, accounting for more than 25 percent of the shale-gas production in the United States. The recent increase in production of "wet" gas -- natural gas that also contains components such as ethane that can be condensed to a liquid and used in manufacturing -- means that the petro-chemical industry can tap an invaluable source of feedstock.

Borne will discuss how this abundant and low-cost energy source, coupled with increased labor expenses abroad, could lead to domestic expansion or the re-shoring of manufacturing operations in the United States. He will cover some of the labor implications, business opportunities and expected impacts within the manufacturing sector.

The Jan. 17 webinar is part of a monthly series offered by Penn State Extension's Marcellus Education Team from 1 to 2 p.m. on Thursdays. The next workshop, on Feb. 21, will be "The Science Behind Best-Management Practices," presented by Nels Johnson, director of the Nature Conservancy.

Registration for the webinars is not necessary, and all are welcome to participate by logging in to https://meeting.psu.edu/pscems. For more information, contact Carol Loveland at 570-320-4429 or at cal24@psu.edu.

Previous webinars, publications and information also are available on the Penn State Extension natural-gas website (http://extension.psu.edu/naturalgas). The site covers a variety of topics, such as Act 13; seismic testing; air pollution from gas development; water use and quality; zoning; gas-leasing considerations for landowners; gas pipelines and right-of-way issues; legal issues surrounding gas development; the impact of Marcellus gas development on forestland; and published research on water quality and quantity impacts.
 

Petro-chemical plants such as this Shell-owned ethylene 'cracker' plant in Singapore stand to benefit from the boom in shale-gas development. Credit: Shell via FlickrAll Rights Reserved.

Last Updated February 6, 2013