Coal to Liquids Plant Site Selection in WV Douglas G. Patchen October 25, 2007.
Transcript of Coal to Liquids Plant Site Selection in WV Douglas G. Patchen October 25, 2007.
Coal to Liquids PlantSite Selection in WV
Douglas G. Patchen
October 25, 2007
WV Energy Goal
• To displace 1.3 billion gallons of imported oil by the year 2030 through use of indigenous fuels
• Fuels developed in WV using WV resources
1.3 B gal Goal
• Amounts to 60% of WV’s current use
• Equals the % of US oil use that is imported
Proposed Solution: CTL
• Support the Governor’s CTL initiative by developing site selection screening criteria
• Assess the potential impact of CTL technology to meet the State’s goal
CTL Plants: Large Contributors
• 20,000 b/d output CTL plant could produce 300MM gallons of clean diesel and other transportation fuel each year
• 5 such plants would meet WV’s 1.3B gallons/yr goal
Why CTL? WV has…
• Substantial coal reserves
• Abundant water resources
• Established energy infrastructure
• Trained workforce
Increased Coal Production
• 20,000 b/d CTL plant requires 4 million tons of coal each year
• Coal for 5 plants would increase WV coal production by 15% each year
Reality…
• CO2 emissions from CTL plant are
significantly higher than from a petroleum refinery producing an equivalent amount of liquid fuel
Therefore, Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) system may be a necessary component of all CTL plants
CCS Potential
• CTL Plant capturing 85% of CO2 emissions would emit 3.7% more than a petroleum refinery with equal output
What do we need for CCS?
• To develop an adequate surface infrastructure
• To identify subsurface reservoirs capable of storing the anticipated amount of CO2
Value-Added CCS Options
• Benefits include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing oil and gas production from…
• EOR projects in old oil fields
• ECBM projects in unmineable coal beds
Infrastructure Needs Significant
• RR or barge access to minimize coal transportation costs
• Access to enough water to meet plant processing and cooling requirements
• Proximity to electric transportation lines, natural gas pipelines, suitable reservoir
Bottom Line
• Compilation & availability of the proposed
data will provide a stimulus for
entrepreneurs and investors to explore
CTL opportunities in WV
Research Proposed
• Develop site-selection screening criteria
• Create a database of site-specific information
T-1: Develop Site Criteria
• Physical
• Environmental
• Geologic
• Workforce issues
Physical Characteristics
• Size and topography of available land
• Proximity to necessary infrastructure (water, coal, electric transmission lines, natural gas pipelines)
Environmental Criteria
• Potential impact on water quality or threatened and endangered species
• Sensitive sites such as wetlands and floodplains
• Establish environmental compliance thresholds CTL plants must meet
Geologic Criteria
• Geologic stability at the surface
• Critical subsurface reservoir quality parameters
• Ability to store the necessary volume of CO2 expected to be produced
Screening Weights
• Weights will be assigned to each criterion reflecting relative importance to CTL site
• Sites will be screened using this process; potential sites ranked
T-2: Create Database
• Database will be developed for all potential sites that pass the screening process
• DB will be restricted to sites capable of accommodating a 10,000 b/d CTL plant
• However, 20,000 b/d CTL plant necessary to meet economics
Nominating Sites
• Industrial, commercial, energy, business, government & economic leaders to be contacted by letter
• They can nominate a site; must submit all available data for the site to be screened
• Sites will be screened and ranked
Database Maintenance
• It is envisioned that WVDOE will continue to maintain this database after the proposed project ends
• Other sites will be evaluated and added/dropped as nominated
CTL – Wide Range of Products
• Liquid fuels
• Electricity
• Pipeline-quality gas
• Feedstocks for chemical industry
• Nitrates for fertilizer production
Site Visits
• Will be made – as time and budget permit – to more promising sites for further examination
Deliverables
• Final report that lists the site criteria, nomination and evaluation process, and lists the sites selected for inclusion in the CTL ranked-site database