Developers eye eastern Ohio for ethane facility

Associated Press

SHADYSIDE, Ohio

Two Asian industrial firms are considering a site in eastern Ohio for a multibillion-dollar plant that would break ethane down into a substance used to make chemicals and plastic, state and local leaders announced.

Belmont County leaders are hoping to secure a commitment with the firms — PTT Global Chemical of Thailand, a giant chemical and fuel-refining company, and Marubeni Corp., a Japanese industrial conglomerate — within the next year, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

Economic-development officials believe the plant near the Ohio River would attract other chemical companies to locate nearby, the newspaper reported.

Belmont County Commissioner Mark Thomas told the newspaper Wednesday the plant could be “one of the biggest developments ever in Ohio” and could lead to several hundred permanent jobs and several thousand construction jobs.

He confirmed that the companies plan to spend $150 million for engineering and permits and then decide in 12 to 16 months whether to move forward with construction. He said he didn’t know the total cost of the project but that it would be “several billion dollars.”

The newspaper said the project is notable because of the state government’s involvement. Gov. John Kasich said in a statement that although final decisions on the project haven’t been made, his team plans to do everything it can to bring it to fruition.

Thomas said state and local officials have been working with developers since late 2013.