Royal Dutch Shell hasn’t decided if it will build an ethane cracker in Beaver County, but it’s taking bids from oil and gas companies in the Marcellus and Utica shales to gauge how much ethane would be available if it pulls the trigger.
Shell began a two-month bidding period Tuesday to supplement commitments it already has secured with Consol Energy Inc., Noble Energy Inc., Seneca Resources Corp., and Hilcorp Energy Co. Shell’s own exploration and production company also would feed ethane into a potential cracker. More…