A bill was introduced in the Indiana Senate that will provide companies that construct and operate pipelines the authority to use eminent domain to acquire pipeline right-of-ways for carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines. This is not a new concept. Indiana has existing legislative statutes that provide eminent domain rights for pipelines that transport other products. The bill will amend the existing statute to include pipelines that transport carbon dioxide.

The annual Gasification Technology Conference is October 31 to November 3 in Washington, DC. This is the premier U.S. coal and petcoke gasification conference and the largest gasification conference in the world. If you are involved in project development, financing, engineering, you will want to attend.

The Kentucky House of Representatives voted 94 to 5 in favor of a bill to permit companies constructing carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines to use eminent domain to acquire pipeline right-of-ways. This is a long time practice approved for pipelines for oil and natural gas. There are several requirements contained in Kentucky HR 213. The CO2 pipelines must be used to transport CO2 for sequestration, enhanced oil recovery or other CO2 management programs.

GE Energy selected Worley-Parsons for the engineering services contract for the FEED phase of the High Plains Gasification Advanced Technology Center to be built in Wyoming. The High Plains Gasification Technology Center is a joint venture between GE Energy and the University of Wyoming.

When opponents of coal and petcoke gasification write a list of the reasons that a coal/petcoke gasification project should be stopped, there are two false statements that are commonly cited. The first is that its experimental and the second is that its more expensive.

Eastman Chemical Company announced that it has decided to discontinue development of its Beaumont, Texas, industrial gasification project. This decision was made due to a number of factors, including high capital costs, the current and foreseen reduced spread between natural gas and oil and petroleum coke prices, and continued uncertainty regarding U.S. energy and environmental public policy. As a result of this decision, the company will recognize a pre-tax non-cash asset impairment charge estimated to be between $150 million-$180 million in the fourth quarter 2009.