Pinto Energy to build GTL plant in Ohio

Pinto Energy LLC, a developer of smaller scale gas-to-liquids, or GTL, facilities, has announced its plan to build the Ashtabula GTL project in Ohio.
The 2,800 barrel per day (bpd) plant will be built at Pinto’s 80 acre industrial site to the east of Ashtabula, Ohio. It will convert abundant low-cost natural gas from the Utica and Marcellus shale region into high value specialty products such as solvents, lubricants, and waxes, as well as ultra clean transportation fuels.
The state-of-the art GTL facility will create 30 new direct jobs, 400 temporary construction jobs, and an estimated 112 indirect jobs, for a total of 542 local jobs. Pinto recently filed the project’s air and water permits, and is in discussions with regional economic authorities for further local support.
“Pinto is pleased to be joining the Ashtabula community,” said Guy Dove, chairman of Pinto Energy.” By building one of the first North American GTL facilities in Ashtabula County, Pinto is creating well-paying jobs and extending the benefits of increased domestic energy production to North Eastern Ohio.”
After a thorough review of existing technologies, Pinto has chosen to utilize Velocys Plc’s technology. Velocys’ advanced catalysts and proprietary microchannel reactors offer unparalleled efficiencies for GTL projects. Pinto has agreed to commercial license terms with Velocys and has made a down payment for the reactors.
“Velocys offers the most efficient and cost effective GTL technology on the market today,” Michael Reinart, president of Pinto Energy, said. “Pinto looks forward to working with Velocys on our Ashtabula GTL facility and other GTL projects in the Pinto portfolio.”
Pinto has chosen Ventech Engineers International LLC as the project’s contractor. Ventech began designing the Ashtabula facility in April 2013. The plant design is expected to be completed by the end of 2013, and Pinto is looking to start construction in the first half of 2014. Mechanical completion of the plant is expected by late 2015, with start-up slated for early 2016.
(September 25, 2013)