Haldor Topsoe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark) announced that Nacero has licensed Topsoe TIGAS technology for its multi-billion USD natural-gas-to-gasoline facility in Penwell, Texas to produce 100,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) of gasoline component ready for blending to U.S. commercial grades.
Nacero’s Penwell facility will utilize Tigas technology (Source: Haldor Topsoe)
The plant will produce cleaner gasoline from low-cost natural gas, captured bio-methane from farms and landfills, and mitigated flared gas from the Permian basin. Topsoe is providing engineering and design services currently and will supply catalyst and proprietary hardware to the facility.
The Penwell facility will be the first gasoline manufacturer in the world to incorporate carbon capture and sequestration. The captured CO2 will be used for enhanced oil recovery.
Gasoline produced by the TIGAS technology contains no sulfur, is cost-competitive with traditional gasoline, and can be used in today’s cars and trucks without modification. Nacero’s Penwell facility will create a market for natural gas that is currently vented or flared and is expected to double the U.S. market for captured bio-methane.
By making gasoline without the byproducts of crude oil refining, Nacero’s Penwell facility will avoid the introduction into the atmosphere of 1 billion tons of CO2 during its first thirty years of operation.
“By making our gasoline from natural gas, renewable natural gas, and captured flare gas rather than crude oil, Nacero will offer America’s 225 million drivers an affordable, everyday climate solution. The TIGAS™ technology enables us to cut both the production cost and the lifecycle carbon footprint of everyday fuel by 50%. As a result, we will be able to profitably sell our environmentally superior fuel at competitive prices. We will use existing vehicles, markets, and infrastructure to quickly, predictably, and cost effectively bring Nacero Blue and Green gasoline to U.S. markets and help mitigate climate change,” said Jay McKenna, Nacero President and CEO.
“We are proud that Nacero has made TIGAS its technology of choice for its large-scale, cost-effective, scalable solution to GHG emissions. This project will make a material difference, and we are extremely pleased to supply Nacero with our proven world-scale carbon emissions reduction technology,” said Amy Hebert, Chief Commercial Officer, Haldor Topsoe.
By using six SynCOR Methanol plants, Nacero’s Penwell plant will produce more than 30,000 metric tons per day of methanol, which will then be processed to gasoline. The only byproduct will be water, which will be recovered and used to supply 80% of the plant’s make-up water. The Penwell facility will also produce ‘blue’ hydrogen.
The TIGAS technology has a very high carbon efficiency which results in savings in natural gas. The proprietary Topsoe upgrading unit will make it possible for Nacero to produce a wide range of commercial gasoline grades that meet U.S. specifications, including those of California.
Nacero and Topsoe have established an alliance for the supply of Topsoe technology and catalysts for future Nacero natural gas-based gasoline production facilities in the United States.