UCG Project: Laurus, Canada

During recent extensive study of coal deposits in Canada, conducted to determine the resource base for εUCG™ application, Laurus Energy Inc (Montréal) documented more than 2 trillion tonnes of coal suitable for the application of the εUCG technology. Research into the potential of εUCG deployment in Canada revealed that the process can play a unique and decisive role in meeting Canada's growing energy demand, while complying with the strictures of Canada's emissions obligations under the Kyoto Agreement.

Laurus Energy is currently preparing several εUCG power projects in Alberta and Nova Scotia. The εUCG gas from coal deposits in the immediate vicinity of two coal-fired power plants in Nova Scotia, can be co-fired with imported coal and petcoke to significantly reduce SO_x emissions and to provide large fuel cost savings for the plants.

A natural gas-fired power plant in Alberta can be re-powered by replacing its current fuel with the εUCG gas produced from an unminable coal deposit lying under and around the power plant, thereby keeping the plant in operation and enabling it to generate in a base-load regime with a significant reduction of electricity production costs. With local natural gas prices reaching up to C$12/GJ, εUCG is the only option that can make the plant economically viable.

The total capacity fueled by εUCG in the above projects is planned to exceed 1,000 MWe. Laurus is planning several other industrial εUCG plants in Canada to produce chemicals and liquid fuels.