Velocys appoints engineering partner
Velocys, a sustainable fuels technology company, announced the appointment of Worley to manage the delivery of its fully integrated technology package.
Worley, a world-class engineering contractor, is the partner in the development of pre-feasibility, feasibility and FEED packages for all projects in the Velocys portfolio. This allows Velocys to leverage synergies across multiple projects and geographies. Worley’s global reach allows an effective collaborative partnership to deliver projects worldwide.
The fully integrated technology package converts waste feedstocks into sustainable aviation and road transport fuels. Velocys has selected all the technology suppliers for its Bayou Fuels woody-biomass-to-fuels project in Natchez, Mississippi, USA. The same technology package will be used for the Altalto Immingham waste-to-fuels project in the UK.
The industry leading licensors were selected, after extensive due diligence and engineering assessment, to create an integrated technology solution consisting of five process steps (including Velocys’ own technology), each of which has been demonstrated at commercial scale on similar feedstocks:
The careful selection and combination of the above technologies provides a de-risked solution enabling the processing of different solid feedstocks (including both woody biomass and municipal solid waste), and sufficient flexibility to allow production of multiple products including Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (SPK) and diesel. A capture-ready carbon dioxide stream is also produced, enabling negative-emissions fuels wherever CO2 usage or storage options are available, as is the case for the Bayou Fuels project.
| Step | Process | Licensor |
| 1 | Gasification | TRI (ThermoChem Recovery International) |
| 2 | Syngas partial oxidation and cooling | Arvos Schmidtsche-Schack (SCS), with Linde’s Hot Oxygen Burner Technology |
| 3 | Syngas clean-up & conditioning | Air Liquide Engineering & Construction |
| 4 | Fisher Tropsch (FT) hydrocarbon synthesis | Velocys |
| 5 | Product upgrading | Haldor Topsoe |
Velocys has also successfully concluded an integrated piloting programme culminating in the production of SPK, diesel and naphtha from representative Fischer Tropsch liquids.
Aviation and heavy goods transport remain the hardest sectors to decarbonise. Passenger vehicles can be electrified but aeroplanes and trucks require much higher energy density, therefore a liquid fuel remains the more viable choice. The technology package provides a robust solution to help these industries to unlock a decarbonised future, through access to abundant, sustainable, but difficult-to-process feedstocks such as municipal solid waste and woody biomass residues. Critically, the fuels produced meet all required regulatory standards, and can be used without any modification to engines.
Paul Seaton, Worley President, E&C Services, Europe & Central Asia said:
“We are pleased to have been selected as the global engineering partner for these sustainable fuels projects. As a major player in the energy, chemicals and resources sectors, energy transition projects are already a fast-growing part of our business. Worley is determined to work with Velocys to find solutions for a lower carbon world.”
Henrik Wareborn, Velocys CEO, said:
“We are delighted to have appointed Worley as our engineering contractor and to partner with our selected technology providers, who bring complementary skills and command excellent reputations. Our unique combination of proven technologies allows Velocys to offer a robust process solution that will be vital to the decarbonisation of challenging sectors and the achievement of net zero targets.”
Licensor comments include:
Daniel A. Burciaga, TRI CEO, said:
“TRI is extremely pleased to be part of the world-class technical team that Velocys has assembled for these important and exciting projects. Having already worked closely with Velocys to integrate our system with their FT technology unit and demonstrated that over a long duration run at our process demonstration facility, we are very confident about the robust commercial applications of this powerful configuration.”
Todd Skare, Linde Chief Technology Officer said:
“Linde is pleased to have been selected by Velocys to supply its proprietary Hot Oxygen Burner (HOB) Technology. Our commercially proven partial oxidation technology will be used to increase the quality and yield of syngas generation. Our HOB technology is widely recognised in the industry for its ability to handle a wide range of variation in both raw syngas and fuel compositions thus helping our customers ensure a reliable waste to fuels process.”
Michael Schoetz, Head of Sales & Tendering at Arvos Schmidtsche Schack Düsseldorf said:
“We are excited to get the opportunity to apply our 50 years of experience from Gasification in the emerging renewable field. SCS will apply our knowledge to reduce risk and increase availability in the first process block, the complete Gasification Island.”
Dominique Rouge, Vice President, Sales & Technology at Air Liquide Engineering & Construction said:
“Air Liquide Engineering & Construction is pleased to bring its extensive experience and world renowned and referenced Lurgi™ capture-ready syngas conditioning technology to the project, supporting the new generation of sustainable fuels and the transition to clean energies.”
Johan Mogensen, Vice President, Haldor Topsoe, said:
“We are very proud to be part of this project together with Velocys. Haldor Topsoe is determined to be a driving force in the global push towards renewable fuels. This project is a notable addition to our extensive portfolio in the area.”
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