A chemical plant might not bring to mind images of robots and other cutting-edge technologies, but that’s exactly what’s being found at the site of Shell Chemicals’ $6 billion ethane cracker plant.
PITTSBURGH — A chemical plant might not bring to mind images of robots and other cutting-edge technologies, but that’s exactly what’s being found at the site of Shell Chemicals’ $6 billion ethane cracker plant.
Hilary Mercer, the vice president of the Potter Township project, said Monday morning that Shell is deploying drones, robots and smart technology to help build the plant and to ensure the safety of workers and nearby residents.
For instance, she said drones take “thousands and thousands” of pictures of the site on a weekly basis, and those pictures are used by executives and contractors alike to compare and contrast progress each day.
In addition, Mercer said her career has spanned more than three decades, and she remembers having to climb into pipes to visually inspect them. Nowadays, Shell deploys robots that go into pipes and send back real-time data about performance or potential leaks.
That’s not to mention the database that tracks the movement of every single piece of equipment on the Shell site, or the smart technology program that can track each of the millions of bolts used during construction.
If not tightened enough, those bolts could allow very low levels of emissions to escape into the atmosphere. But with Shell’s patented “smart torque system,” workers can tighten bolts right from a tablet.
“Believe me, that will help reduce fugitive emissions,” she said.
Speaking at a petrochemical conference in Pittsburgh, Mercer mentioned how the city has undergone a technological transformation over the last several decades, a transition away from steel and industry toward technology, health care and education.
Shell is transforming itself right alongside Pittsburgh, she said, and the company is building “a plant for Pittsburgh, for the future.”
“Just like Pittsburgh, companies like ours have to adapt and change,” she said.
That adaptation has allowed unprecedented access for customers to view their shipments in real time, Mercer said, as well as plant equipment that can tell workers when something has gone awry.
But most importantly, Mercer said, the adaptation to new technologies has further helped Shell hammer home its commitment to safety for not only employees but also for residents who live close to the development.
“(Residents’) safety and their interest in the plant is absolutely paramount,” she said.
Mercer also gave a brief update about the project, and said May was a “really big month” for the cracker plant. She said several pieces of large, critical equipment were delivered via barge to the site, while the company also officially launched its “Shell Polymers” brand.
In addition, she said the third-largest crane in the world will be on site “in the near future” to help move pieces of equipment into place.
Mercer spoke in front of 100 executives in the oil and natural gas industries during a two-day conference in downtown Pittsburgh.
Called the Northeast U.S. Petrochemical Construction Conference, the event features an array of panels and speakers who convened to talk about the burgeoning petrochemical industry in the region. The conference is being held at the Westin Convention Center.