By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 25 -- Tulsa-based Syntroleum Corp., owner of a proprietary air-blown, gas-to-liquids process for converting stranded gas reserves to liquid fuels, plans to commercialize small, barge-mounted GTL plants to develop offshore natural gas assets in the 1-3 tcf range and to process associated rich gas that might otherwise be flared or reinjected.
The plant will sit on a 200 ft by 400 ft barge weighing 35,000 tonnes, which is designed to produce 20,000 b/d of total liquid products. This includes 12,000 b/d of GTL products of which 8,000 b/d is zero-sulfur diesel fuel. The balance is a mix of natural gas liquids.
The GTL barge will focus on offshore gas reserves in shallow water or on onshore gas reserves near coastlines over a 20 year life. The company said it plans to use its GTL technology, as well as other third party gas processing technologies, to develop and participate in gas projects in a number of global locations. Using specific screening criteria, such as a field's proximity to shore and its geographic location, it has identified more than 40 uncontracted gas fields as initial targets for development.
Syntroleum said it intends to build and deploy a fleet of the barges during the next 10 years, and is actively seeking industry participants to build and operate the first GTL barge.
"We have already begun discussions with several candidates and look forward to continued discussions," said Jack Holmes, Syntroleum's president and chief operating officer.