MONACA, Pa. (AP) - Shell Oil Co. is years away from building a huge new petrochemical plant in western Pennsylvania, but the company is already reaching out to the local community and getting a wholehearted welcome.

A Shell general manager spoke recently to a gathering of about 50 people in Monaca, where the company hopes to build the multibillion dollar plant. That's about 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

The so-called cracker plant would convert Marcellus Shale natural gas into chemicals such as ethylene, which is used to make plastics and other products.

Despite the usual warnings that the plant might never happen, Shell says it currently has about 50 people working full-time on the project.

Community leaders say they hope the plant will lead to an industrial resurgence in the area.

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