NET Power LLC has broken ground for a power plant in La Porte, TX, that is intended to demonstrate its Allam Cycle technology for using carbon dioxide (CO2) to drive a combustion turbine and generate low-cost power “with zero atmospheric emissions.” The 50 MW plant also would produce pipeline-quality CO2 that could be used for enhanced oil recovery and other processes. The system burns natural gas with oxygen, as opposed to air, and uses high-pressure CO2, as opposed to steam, to drive a turbine. NET Power is a collaboration of Exelon Generation, CB&I and 8 Rivers Capital (see Daily GPI, Nov. 13, 2014). Toshiba has developed and is manufacturing a supercritical CO2 turbine and combustor for the project. CB&I is performing the engineering, procurement and construction, Exelon is providing operations, maintenance and development services and 8 Rivers invented and continues to advance the technology. Commissioning is expected to begin in late 2016 and be completed in 2017. NET Power said it is working with customers across several industries to design and develop similar projects.

Increased deliveries of natural gas via the Creole Trail pipeline to Cheniere Energy Inc.‘s Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and infrared camera monitoring show that Train 1 may be beginning to ramp-up again to produce LNG after ramping down from the first export Feb. 24 (see Daily GPI, Feb. 24), Genscape Inc. said in a note. Feed gas deliveries for Tuesday (March 8) were 123 MMcf, and initial nominations for Wednesday (March 9) showed deliveries at 65 MMcf on the Creole Trail-SPLIQ location. When it ramped down, the location averaged only 20 MMcf/d in deliveries, according to Genscape. LNG vessels Energy Atlantic and Clean Ocean were in the Gulf of Mexico to take the next cargoes from Sabine, Genscape said.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff said it would issue a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Atlantic Sunrise Project of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC (Transco) on Oct. 21 with a deadline of Jan. 19, 2017 for a decision on the project by coordinating agencies. Williams Partners LP‘s Transco wants to expand its system in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina to transport up to 1.7 million Dth/d from receipt points in Pennsylvania to various delivery points along its existing system [CP15-138]. Atlantic Sunrise would add 57.3 miles of 30-inch diameter pipeline (the Central Penn Line North) and 125.2 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline (the Central Penn Line South), as well as incremental facilities on the existing system, and modifications to enable north-to-south flow (see Daily GPI, Jan.14; March 31, 2015).

The Iowa Utility Board (IUB) said Monday it will decide Thursday on a proposal by Energy Transfer Partners LP (ETP) to build the $3.8 billion, 1,154-mile Dakota Access LLC oil pipeline from the Bakken Shale in North Dakota to a hub in Illinois (see Shale Daily, March 3). IUB members will review a draft order from their staff during closed deliberations leading up to Thursday afternoon’s public session. Regulators in North and South Dakota, and in Illinois, already have approved the line, so the IUB action is the last major hurdle for the ETP project that bids to eventually transport volumes approaching half of North Dakota’s current 1 million b/d daily output of Bakken crude.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has launched the first phase of a new electronic bidding process for agency construction contracts that, when fully implemented, is projected to save DEP $37,000 annually. The DEP regularly issues bids for construction projects, including the cleaning and plugging of oil and natural gas wells. Contractors can now access posted bids for free on a new website. DEP said it would complete the initiative later this year by allowing bids and bid bonds to be submitted online. The agency estimates that there could be nearly 200,000 abandoned oil and gas wells in the state. The electronic bidding initiative is part of a broader effort by DEP to reduce its costs and make agency processes easier for the regulated community. DEP Secretary John Quigley said earlier this month that he hopes to eventually have permitting, bonding and payments all done electronically.

Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd. (LNGL) unit Gladstone LNG Pty Ltd., owner of the Fisherman’s Landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction project at the Port of Gladstone (FLLNG) in Queensland, Australia, has extended its site agreement lease with the Gladstone Ports Corp. to March 31, 2017, and has struck an option for an extension until March 31, 2018. There were no other changes to the original agreement, which was signed in 2010. “LNGL continues to investigate opportunities for gas supply to the FLLNG Project and discussions with potential LNG buyers supplying the Asian market are ongoing,” said LNGL CEO Maurice Brand. “No significant capital commitment to the…project will occur until binding agreements are materially advanced.” Subsidiaries of Australia’s LNGL also are developing LNG terminals in Nova Scotia and in Louisiana (see Daily GPI, Feb. 8).

A team developing a project to transport natural gas from the Cook Inlet to Interior Alaska has recommended that the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority choose a project proposed bySalix Inc. (Avista Corp.). The project would truck liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the Interior.Spectrum LNG LLC was the runner-up among the numerous project proposals considered (see Daily GPI, Oct. 14, 2015).

Qatargas recently delivered its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo under a long-term supply agreement with Pakistan State Oil Co. (PSO) to Port Qasim, Pakistan. The cargo was loaded onto Al Gattara, a chartered Qatargas LNG Vessel, which is owned and operated by Nakilat. The vessel left Ras Laffan, Qatar on Feb. 26 to mark the inaugural Q-Flex delivery to Pakistan. With the addition of this delivery to Port Qasim, the Qatargas chartered Q-Flex fleet achieved compatibility with 60 LNG terminals globally while the larger Q-Max vessels are compatible with 32 LNG terminals globally. In April 2015, Qatargas delivered the first commissioning cargo to PSO onboard the LNG vessel Excelerate Exquisite, a floating storage and regasification unit vessel, which is currently moored at the Engro LNG terminal in Port Qasim.