TomCo Energy plc (LON:TOM), the US operating oil development group focused on using innovative technology to unlock unconventional hydrocarbon resources, has provided a further update in respect of the work being undertaken by Greenfield Energy LLC, the Company’s 50/50 joint venture with Valkor LLC, with respect to Petroteq Energy Inc’s existing oil sands plant at Asphalt Ridge, Utah.
The Company has now received a draft of the FEED (Front-End Engineering and Design) study that has been previously outlined. This includes data from testing a number of items of additional equipment that could be utilised in potential future commercial scale plants, as well as reflecting input from a subsidiary of a leading global oilfield services company to further optimise the efficiency of the POSP’s solids control process. Furthermore, significant work has been undertaken as part of the test operations and FEED study to identify how best to process the various types of ore that are likely to be encountered.
The FEED study will be finalised following the Company’s and Greenfield’s review with the third-party verification exercise on the process also nearing completion, with all planned on-site activities having been undertaken. It is therefore currently anticipated that the FEED study and the third party verification work will be finalised by early July 2021.
Further to the lifting of the Cessation Order on 25 May 2021 and resumption of operations at the POSP, the rate of production has been increasing such that Greenfield anticipates that it will shortly reach the targeted production level of 250 barrels of oil per day.
Oil of sufficient quality and quantity has now been produced by the POSP to enable an initial shipment of 250 barrels of oil to be made. Greenfield is also working with a local specialist firm to identify potential customers for the processed sand. They have already taken an initial load of 40 tonnes and is anticipated to take a further circa 500 tonnes of processed sand over the coming weeks. All proceeds from the sale of oil and sand will be retained in Greenfield.
In addition, Valkor, on behalf of Greenfield, is currently in discussions with the landlord of the POSP site to seek an extension to Greenfield’s lease for a further six months from 1 July 2021. Should an agreement be reached, Greenfield would then intend to continue operating the POSP for as long as necessary in order to provide an appropriate demonstration site for potential funders of the planned future commercial scale plants.
Further updates will be made as operations progress.
Commenting, John Potter, CEO of TomCo Energy, said: “Despite the short interruption from the Cessation Order, I am very pleased with the progress that has been made. Receipt of the draft FEED study and the production of the first load of oil for sale from the POSP are significant milestones for both Greenfield and TomCo. I believe Greenfield is now well positioned to move forward with sourcing the requisite funding for the potential construction of its first commercial scale plant and look forward to providing further updates in due course.”
