Powder River Basin
In September 2009, Linc Energy acquired 92,059 acres of GasTech Inc coal tenements based in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming in the United States. This acquisition is part of Linc Energy’s strategic global expansion program to provide coal-rich countries with cleaner energy solutions.
The emerging clean coal sector in the United States is a critical market for Linc Energy and its UCG and GTL technologies. The Powder River Basin is the largest coal producing area in the United States. About 45 per cent of coal is currently produced from surface mines in the region. The region is certainly a central hub in the United States energy system. Coal in the Powder River Basin is considered sub-bituminous and potentially suitable for UCG. Seams range from six to 15 metres in thickness, at depths in excess of 150 metres.
Prior to the purchase of these coal tenements, Linc Energy signed a letter of intent with GasTech in December 2008. This outlined Linc Energy’s intention to acquire GasTech’s 172,000 acres of Powder River Basin coal tenements. The purchase of 92,059 acres is the first step to realise total acquisition of these tenements.
Linc Energy will aggressively pursue its entrance into the United States and is establishing offices in Casper, Wyoming and Denver, Colorado to service its project operations. A UCG pilot program will start as Linc Energy explores commercialisation of Linc Energy’s UCG to GTL technologies in the United States.
For more information on the pilot project in Wyoming click here.
For more information, click here.