Alliance Promotes Solid-Fuel Gasification Technology

ConocoPhillips, Houston, and Fluor Corporation, Aliso Viejo, Calif., have formed a worldwide alliance to spur the development, design and construction of new projects utilizing ConocoPhillips’ E-Gas Technology. Under the agreement, Fluor and ConocoPhillips plan to provide comprehensive offerings on the licensing, development, engineering, procurement, construction and operations and maintenance of integrated gasification facilities for production of synthesis gas that can be used to produce a wide range of chemical and energy products.

E-Gas Technology incorporates a proprietary gasification system that converts coal and other low-grade feedstocks, including petroleum coke, which may have a negative economic value, into a clean synthesis gas containing hydrogen — providing a low-cost alternative to natural gas reforming for chemical production.

The Wabash River Coal Gasification Repowering Project, in West Terre Haute, Indiana, has been demonstrating the technology on a commercial basis since 1995. It has gasified over three million tons of coal and petroleum coke over the past eight years and can operate interchangeably on either fuel.

Fluor and ConocoPhillips plan to provide operating and maintenance agreements for gasification facilities utilizing the E-Gas Technology, drawing from the extensive collective experience of the two companies.