Shell Oil Co. announced it will build a massive petrochemical "cracker" plant in Potter, Beaver County, making Pennsylvania the winner in a tri-state competition for the billion-dollar industrial operation.
The decision caps a months-long courting by state and national officials for the plant, which promises thousands of jobs and is expected to bring billions of dollars in investment to the region.
The cracker plant will break down gas compounds extracted from the Marcellus Shale into other elements. The facilities can cover hundreds of acres.
Shell has signed an agreement with the Horsehead Corporation, whose operation is located 28 miles north of Pittsburgh and once operated as a zinc smelter.
PG VIDEOFirst Published: March 15, 2012, 9:00 p.m.
