Synthetically biologically-based products creator Intrexon Corp., said that Intrexon Energy Partners (IEP) and Dominion Energy entered an agreement to study potential for commercial-scale biological conversion of natural gas to isobutanol, Intrexon said Aug. 20.
Dominion Energy is a subsidiary of Dominion Resources.
Isobutanol is a drop-in fuel that has advantages over other clean-burning gasoline blendstocks, Intrexon said.
Optimized microbial cell lines will convert natural gas into higher carbon compounds such as isobutanol and farnesene under ambient temperatures and pressures. This approach avoids costly, resource-intensive thermochemical gas-to-liquids (GTL). It is also a biofuel that does not use sugar or other plant-based feedstock. Isobutanol is also economical, the company said, adding that small-scale demonstration plants could achieve profitability in the first year of production.
Isobutanol burns with less corrosion, holds more of gasoline's energy content allowing longer travel, is cheaper to blend with gas, and is compatible with the current petroleum infrastructure. Bloomberg New Energy Finance said that investment in butanol plants could reach $6 billion by 2020.
"We are excited to partner with IEP and help realize the promise of their GTL platform to harness a plentiful feedstock in natural gas for the bioproduction of isobutanol. Dominion is committed to being a good environmental steward while providing reliable, affordable energy services for our customers," said Diane Leopold, president.
Dominion Resources is based in Richmond, Va.
Intrexon Corp. is based in Germantown, Md.
Recommended Reading
NGL Growth Leads Enterprise Product Partners to Strong Fourth Quarter
2024-02-02 - Enterprise Product Partners executives are still waiting to receive final federal approval to go ahead with the company’s Sea Port Terminal Project.
The One Where EOG’s Stock Tanked
2024-02-23 - A rare earnings miss pushed the wildcatter’s stock down as much as 6%, while larger and smaller peers’ share prices were mostly unchanged. One analyst asked if EOG is like Narcissus.
Enbridge Advances Expansion of Permian’s Gray Oak Pipeline
2024-02-13 - In its fourth-quarter earnings call, Enbridge also said the Mainline pipeline system tolling agreement is awaiting regulatory approval from a Canadian regulatory agency.
Exxon, Chevron Tapping Permian for Output Growth in ‘24
2024-02-02 - Exxon Mobil and Chevron plan to tap West Texas and New Mexico for oil and gas production growth in 2024, the U.S. majors reported in their latest earnings.
Uinta Basin: 50% More Oil for Twice the Proppant
2024-03-06 - The higher-intensity completions are costing an average of 35% fewer dollars spent per barrel of oil equivalent of output, Crescent Energy told investors and analysts on March 5.