I asked Jp from the exec team: Is the UCG design ready to roll out? Whats holding Linc back from building a commercial UCG plant?
Jp said the design is ready to be rolled out, its just regulatory approvals that are holding us up. PB said it can take around 6 weeks to build. Gen 6 in Wyoming will be first, then it will be rolled out in the surounding states, as the states will accept the trail Gen 6. Although the way PB was talking about gen 5 sounded as though some parts had already been tested... They have submitted applications for the plant in Wyoming. If these come back in about a month, then i think Gen 6 will soon be here. It might take longer. If you read the recent newsletter it says they have drilled about 50 holes in the PRB to find a suitable site for the project(below). I asked about why the release of technical info has been held back. Its because of IP protection. I was advised that parts are ordered from a variety of suppliers and then the plant is put together on site. (this is also to protect the ip) I asked about South Africa and PB said when they are ready (more coal to add to the empire first) they will setup office, then they will look to go in straight with a commecial UCG plant.
I also heard that the new design would be much more efficient in creating energy compared to previous models (I think they were trying to downplay the multiple).
Once Gen 6 is up, the only thing holding them back from unleashing their UCG force upon the the world would be approvals, supply of parts for construction and labour.
I think they will be heading to Russia or Hungary, India and China in the future.
Gasifier 6 is a key project for Linc Energy that is currently moving through the site characterisation and permitting process stages. Even with one of the wettest Wyoming springs on record, the team has drilled over 50 wells in the Powder River Basin, six of which are core wells used to characterise Linc Energy’s future gasifier location.
The UCG team has gathered a great deal of data to adequately assess and design Linc Energy’s first UCG gasifier for Wyoming, which will be the sixth gasifier for Linc Energy. The experience and significant technology developments at Linc Energy’s Chinchilla UCG demonstrations, especially over the past five years, has guided this work in Wyoming. Importantly, the site feasibility report will soon be submitted to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for a research and development mine application permit.
Linc Energy continues to maintain a good working relationship with its key stakeholders including the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, the Honourable Governor Mead, the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investment, the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the State Engineers Office and many of its landowners who are all key to Linc Energy’s continued success in north east Wyoming.
http://www.lincenergy.com/investor_linc.php?articleId=77 Power Options For UCG Syngas
Linc Energy continues to consider technology options for converting UCG syngas to electrical energy across the full range of power outputs. Having completed a detailed feasibility review for utility scale power opportunities (from 50MW to 400MW) based on gas turbine technology, further effort has been applied to reviewing technology options for smaller scale power generation. Earlier this year, SKM was commissioned to perform a front end study into small power options in the range of 1MW to 30MW.
Knowing that existing gas turbine technology is not an ideal fit with UCG syngas at this smaller scale, the study focused on gas engine and boiler technologies. Gas engines work on diesel engine technology designed for gaseous, rather than liquid fuels, while conventional combustion boilers can be designed to burn syngas, raise steam and run a conventional steam turbine. A review of available technologies has demonstrated that either can play their part, however, for smaller power opportunities of less than 10MW, gas engines are compact, transportable and offer very simple and economic installation options.
Linc Energy is currently considering a number of commercial power opportunities around the globe, particularly in Europe and the United States. Having identified the best fit technologies for these potential projects, Linc Energy is engaging with equipment suppliers to establish the most technically appropriate and cost effective plant options.
http://www.lincenergy.com/investor_linc.php?articleId=79 New Gasifier For Chinchilla
Linc Energy is leading the world in the application of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) to produce tomorrow’s energy solutions. Now in its twelfth year, the Chinchilla Demonstration Facility is preparing for its fifth UCG gasifier to produce optimised syngas for cleaner Gas to Liquids (GTL) fuel production.
The continuous operation of Gasifier 4 since February 2010 has provided the UCG technical team with detailed information to design and operate the next generation of gasifier, Gasifier 5, as a world-class development. Gasifier 5, now under construction, will be a state-of- the art development, with advanced design methodologies and technologies specifically tailored to support UCG for the roll out of Linc Energy’s commercial Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and GTL energy applications.
Due to start up later this year, Gasifier 5 incorporates Linc Energy’s latest technological enhancements representing the company’s development and implementation of over 25 world-first UCG advancements. These latest achievements, combined with a long heritage of UCG operating experience, means Linc Energy’s UCG capabilities are now ready to be deployed in commercial operations across the company’s vast span of global operations.
“The design and operation of Gasifier 4 has enabled our teams to validate our models for oxygen injection for the best GTL product outcomes. Gasifier 5 steps it up another notch and will be implemented in Chinchilla as Linc Energy’s commercial gasifier design in readiness for operations to take place in the United States,” said Chief Executive Officer Peter Bond.
With UCG site selection drilling now complete for the new gasifier, the UCG technical and operations teams are constructing the gasifier to be ready for commissioning, start up and syngas production in the next quarter.
LNC Price at posting:
$2.06 Sentiment: None Disclosure: Held
