Ohio, neighboring states, eagerly wait for decision on ethane “cracker”
Ideastream: Ohio is competing to be the home of Shell Oil Co.’s petrochemical refinery, or “cracker.” Geology associate professor Beverly Saylor explains the chemical process called cracking and why it’s gaining prominence. “A few years ago, people didn’t really crack here because it was too expensive to make plastic. … But now with all the shale gas development the price has come down on that and so it’s now worth it,” she said.