Expander Energy, Rocky Mountain Clean Fuels establish Wheatland Synfuels as platform for bio-synfuels complex in Alberta, Canada

Expander Energy Inc. and Rocky Mountain Clean Fuels Inc. announced recently that a letter of intent has been signed to jointly form Wheatland Synfuels Inc. and to acquire Rocky Mountain’s Carseland synthetic-fuel facility in Alberta, Canada, which will act as the centerpiece to develop the site into a gas-to-liquid synthetic and bio-synthetic fuel production complex.  

The Wheatland Synfuels complex will be developed in several stages.

After Wheatland Synfuels acquires the operational Rocky Mountain Clean Fuels natural-gas-to-liquids facility, the plant will be upgraded through several capacity and efficiency projects including the addition of a new isomerization unit capable of producing arctic diesel and synthetic kerosene (jet fuel) as well as a new hydrogen-purification unit to allow for hydrogen-vehicle fueling in the Calgary area.  

The companies plan for the addition of a new biomass-gasification unit capable of providing additional bio-syngas feed for the facility and increasing production by 8 million liters (2.1 million gallons) per year of renewable, low carbon-intensity Bio-SynDiesel® and Bio-SynJet®.  

Two more gasifiers will be added later to maximize Bio-SynDiesel® and Bio-SynJet® production.  

Carbon capture and sequestration will also be added to reduce the lifecycle-carbon intensity of the fuel to near zero, potentially as low as 5 gCO2e/MJ, according to Expander Energy.  

Upon completion of the above stages, the facility will be scaled to produce 25 million liters (6.6 million gallons) per year of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel.  

A comprehensive financial model and business plan for the Wheatland synfuels complex has been developed, according to Expander Energy.  

“We will be working with stakeholders as well as strategic and financial partners to source funding for the overall program,” the company stated. “The completed facility will be a global showcase of next-generation synthetic-fuel production.”

Doug Geeraert, the president of Rocky Mountain Clean Fuels, said, “We are pleased to be working with Expander to further develop the Carseland synthetic-fuel facility. The project will increase revenues over the short term through access to the premium offerings of arctic diesel, synthetic kerosene, Fischer-Tropsch waxes and low carbon-intensity hydrogen. Later stages will provide a pathway to the ultra-high value Bio-SynDiesel® and Bio-SynJet®.”

Gord Crawford, the president of Expander Energy, added, “Expander is confident that there is sufficient strategic, financial and government support for this first commercial installation of bio-synthetic fuel production as well as the pipeline of projects that is developing.”