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).