Antero Resources says it will be the anchor ethane supplier for a proposed cracker plant in West Virginia.
Antero announced an agreement on Wednesday to provide 30,000 barrels of ethane a day to the plant, if it’s built.
Brazilian petrochemical giant Odebrecht is exploring the possibility of building the ethane cracker and three polyethylene plants in Wood County. The complex would be known as Ascent, which stands for Appalachian Shale Cracker Enterprise.
Antero says in a news release that Ascent would use the ethane it supplies to manufacture polyethylene.
Odebrecht would lead the project’s investment and financing, along with water and electric utility operations. Plastics maker Braskem S.A. of Brazil would handle petrochemical-related activities.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin says the Antero agreement is a major step forward for the project.