Construction begins on Cote Nord Project

David Boulard, Executive Vice President of Ensyn Corporation (Ensyn Corporation together with its affiliates, Ensyn), has announced that construction has been initiated on a 10.5 million gal./y (approximately 40 million litre) biocrude production facility located in Port-Cartier, Quebec (the Cote Nord Project). The Cote Nord Project, being developed by Ensyn, Arbec Forest Products Inc. (Arbec), and Groupe Rémabec, is located adjacent to Arbec's sawmill on the north shore of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Ensyn owns 50% of the equity of the project. The Cote Nord Project has been funded and construction is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2017. This is the first of several production plants being developed by Ensyn to expand the production of biocrude for energy applications.

Arbec is a leading, privately held forest products company operating in Eastern Canada. Arbec owns 12 wood processing plants in Quebec and New Brunswick, 10 of which are in partnership with Groupe Rémabec.

Groupe Rémabec is a major forest products company operating in Quebec, with a focus on timber harvesting and wood processing. The company harvests more than 3 million m³/y of lumber and operates 10 wood processing plants.

Utilising Ensyn's proprietary RTP® technology, the Cote Nord Project will convert approximately 65 000 dry tpy of slash and other forest residues from local sources to biocrude. The biocrude will be sold to customers in the Northeastern US and in Eastern Canada for heating purposes and as a renewable feedstock for petroleum refineries for the production of low carbon transportation fuels. The RTP conversion unit is being engineered and supplied by Envergent Technologies LLC, a joint venture between Ensyn and Honeywell UOP.

The Cote Nord Project is being financed by partner equity, funding from the Government of Canada (Sustainable Development Technology Canada and the Department of Natural Resources Canada) and Investissement Quebec, the leading Quebec Provincial financing corporation.

"We are proud to initiate our biocrude expansion plans with Arbec and Rémabec in Quebec," said Boulard. "With an extensive forest industry and a strong culture of innovation, Quebec is an ideal location for our initial expansion facility."

Cote Nord Project

The Cote Nord Project is the first RTP facility purpose-built for the production of biocrude used for heating, cooling and refinery applications. Ensyn's RTP technology has been in commercial use for over 25 years, producing biocrude used for food ingredients, with by-product liquids being used for industrial heating. In 2014, to support its expanding commercial sales to large institutional boilers, district heating systems and universities, Ensyn implemented capital improvements at its wholly owned 3 million gal./y (approximately 12 million litre) RTP facility in Renfrew, Ontario that enabled the continuous production of biocrude for energy applications.

Environmental benefits

The Cote Nord Project is expected to generate significant environmental benefits. Whether used for heating and cooling purposes or as a refinery feedstock, Ensyn's biocrude is a renewable product that reduces the use of conventional fossil fuels. The use of Ensyn's biocrude for energy purposes leads to a reduction in net carbon emissions and a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) on a total lifecycle basis totalling between approximately 70% and 90%, depending on the application.

Ensyn's biocrude is produced from non-edible woody biomass, therefore, avoiding competition for materials used in food or animal feed supplies. In addition, the manufacture of value-added products from forest slash allows for the development of enhanced pre-commercial thinning strategies, thereby reducing forest fire risks and improving the health of managed forests.

Adapted from press release by Francesca Brindle

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/clean-fuels/14072016/construction-begins-on-cote-nord-project-biomass-facility-quebec-3704/