Los Angeles-Rentech Inc. has announced that it has entered into a services agreement with CB&I relating to the conversion of the Rentech Energy Midwest Corporation (REMC) facility in East Dubuque, Ill., from natural gas to a gasification-based fertilizer and ultra-clean synthetic fuels facility. Under the terms of the agreement, CB&I will perform engineering and design services for Phase 1 of the conversion, which will involve converting the feedstock from natural gas to coal using gasification technology. Rentech and CB&I will also take the steps necessary to develop a lump-sum engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract. During Phase 1A of the conversion, equipment will be added to produce ultra clean fuels from gasified coal using Rentech’s proprietary and patented advanced derivative of the Fischer-Tropsch process. Upon the expected completion of the plant conversion by 2010, Rentech believes REMC will be the first ultra clean synthetic fuels and fertilizer facility in the U.S. REMC expects to produce at least 1,250 barrels per day – or 17.8 million gallons – of ultra clean Fischer-Tropsch fuels annually. The facility is also projected to produce approximately 545,000 st of ammonia and other nitrogen fertilizer products per year, and to be developed as a “carbon capture ready” facility. Rentech is evaluating marketing opportunities for commercial uses of the captured carbon dioxide.
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