PA Environment Digest Blog: Shell Petrochemical Plant Asks DEP To Classify Chemical Makeup, Flow Rate Of Gases Going To Be Burned Off By Flares, Air Pollution Sources, Control Equipment Operating At The Plant Confidential Business Information

On April 12, 2024, the Shell Petrochemical Plant requested the Department of Environmental Protection to classify the composition and flow rate of gases going to be burned off at flares and the air pollution sources and pollution control equipment operating at the Beaver County facility confidential business information.

DEP routinely requested and Shell provided this information as part of more than 80 facility inspections from May 16, 2023 through April 1, 2024.

Lauren Camarda, DEP Southwest Regional Office Communications Manager, said, “When the decision to request the information is made, it aids in DEP’s understanding of plant operations at the time of inspection.”

The gases burned off by the flares include ethane, acetylene, ethylene, methane, hydrogen, nitrogen and others, according to information provided by Shell in DEP’s inspection reports.

The percentage of chemicals burned and rate of flow varies depending on which parts of the plant are operating, according to the inspection reports.

Because of a history of air quality violations at the facility, in particular incomplete combustion of harmful gases going to the flares to be burned, it is important the composition and flow rate of those gases is known. Read more here.

Starting with the April 11, 2024 inspection report, something changed, and Shell no longer provided much of this information to DEP on the dates the agency did inspections.

The inspector’s report for that day said--

"I contacted Shell Chemicals to inform them of my observations and to request the list of operating sources and control devices and an analysis of the gas composition for the material being routed to the flare.

“On 4/12/24 Shell Chemicals asserted that the requested information is confidential. The Department is reviewing the claim and a decision is pending."

No list of sources and control devices was included or the gas composition information.

The same note appeared in the following four DEP inspection reports--

-- April 12, 2024 (same note, no sources, control devices or gas composition)

-- April 15, 2024 (same note, no sources, control devices or gas composition)

-- April 16, 2024 (same note, no sources, control devices or gas composition)

-- April 22, 2024 (same note, no sources, control devices or gas composition)

-- April 26, 2024 (same note, no sources, control devices or gas composition)

Starting after these inspection reports, something changed again. The same note was included, but the reports did include the list of sources and control devices operating, but no gas composition information.

-- May 10, 2024 (note but sources/control devices listed)

-- May 16, 2024 (note but sources/control devices listed)

-- May 21, 2024 (note but sources/control devices listed)

-- May 24, 2024 (note but sources/control devices listed)

-- May 30, 2024 (note but sources/control devices listed)

-- June 3, 2024 (note but sources/control devices listed) [the most recent report posted]

Camarda said Shell made the original assertion of confidentiality in April, but only recently submitted a written justification for the confidentiality claim to DEP.

“Under the federal Clean Air Act and Section 13.2 of the Pennsylvania Air Pollution Control Act, an operator may assert a confidentiality claim.

“Shell has recently asserted that the composition and flow rate of gas going to the flare and sources operating at the time of the inspection is confidential business information.

“DEP has instructed Shell to provide written justification for its claims, which it recently did.

“In its confidentiality request, Shell stated that if the information was released to the public, it could adversely affect the competitive position of Shell and the process could be reverse engineered by competitors with access to that information.

“DEP is currently evaluating these claims.

“If, after DEP’s evaluation, it determines that the information should be treated confidentially, DEP will still have access to the information. It would not, however, be made publicly available.”

Visit DEP’s Shell Petrochemical Facility webpage for copies of inspection reports and other information related to DEP permits for the facility.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Shell Petrochemical Plant Asks DEP To Classify Chemical Makeup, Flow Rate Of Gases Going To Be Burned Off By Flares, Air Pollution Sources, Control Equipment Operating At The Plant Confidential Business Information

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