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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Three Energy Firms Begin Construction Of Carbon Dioxide Capture Facility In Fort Bend County, Texas

09/08/2014
NRG Energy, Inc., JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation and HilCorp Energy Company started construction of the WA Parish Petra Nova Carbon Capture Project, a commercial-scale carbon capture system that is expected to capture 90 percent of the carbon dioxide in the processed flue gas from an existing unit at the WA Parish power plant in Fort Bend County, Texas, southwest of Houston.

When complete in 2016 the Project is expected to be the world’s largest post-combustion carbon capture facility installed on an existing coal plant. CO2 captured from the plant will be compressed and piped approximately 80 miles to the West Ranch oil field, jointly owned by NRG, JX and Hilcorp. Through Enhanced Oil Recovery, the captured CO2 is expected to create a revenue stream for the Project by increasing domestic oil production from around 500 barrels per day to approximately 15,000 barrels per day.

“The Project is pioneering in that it not only utilizes CO2 emissions from a coal-fired power plant, but also boosts the oil production, and ultimately reduces CO2 released into the air. Put simply, it addresses a global environmental issue,” said Shunsaku Miyake, President/CEO of JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation. “We are confident that this Project and our relationship with NRG will enhance the cooperative relationship between the US and Japan from an environmental and economic perspective.”

“Fossil fuels are essential to energizing modern civilization today and for many decades to come. The best way for us to avoid the harmful consequences of emitting carbon into the atmosphere is to turn it into a productive asset here on Earth,” said David Crane, President/CEO of NRG. “By piping captured carbon exhaust into domestic oil fields, we both protect the environment and enhance domestic oil production benefitting our national energy security.”

“What is happening here today has global implications from an economic perspective, energy security perspective, and environmental stewardship perspective, and that's why it is so important to take the global lead on this post-combustion CCS technology,” said Daniel Poneman, Deputy Secretary of Energy.

“This project is yet another example of why Texas is the nation's energy leader,” said Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst. “In Texas, we celebrate those forward thinkers willing to risk their own capital in pursuit of innovation that maximizes efficiencies, yields jobs and moves America closer to energy independence.”

“We as a company are very proud of the fact that we are associated with such a forward thinking and innovative project,” said Jeff Hildebrand, founder, Chairman and CEO, HilCorp Energy Company.

“Unconventional partnerships have driven innovation and disrupted the old ways of seeing things to create a project that could change the world,” said John Ragan, President of Petra Nova.

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