Velocys PLC is a leading technology innovator in clean synthetic fuel production, making it possible to convert low cost gas into valuable liquid fuels (GTL). The company has about 100 employees with facilities near Oxford, UK, Columbus, Ohio, USA and Houston, Texas, USA. It designs, develops and commercialises GTL technology for the production of synthetic oil from renewable sources such as waste or woody biomass (BTL) as well as waste gas (which would otherwise be flared or re-injected), and stranded gas fields. Velocys was formed from the merger of Oxford Catalysts and Velocys in 2008. The company was initially called Oxford Catalysts but changed to Velocys in 2013.
Exchange: London Main (VLS)
Financial Data from Exchange website: LSE summary
Recent Financial Report: Interim to 30 June 2018
Further Information: The technology is based on Fischer – Tropsch synthesis, which is also used for Coal-to-Liquids processing. The Liquids produced may cover the whole range of petroleum liquids from jet fuel to wax. The key to the technology is the use of super-active catalysts with micro-channel reactors, which intensify chemical reactions and make viable the production of synthetic oil on a smaller scale. This in turn enables the use of more mobile, modular plants that can be deployed cost effectively in remote locations and on smaller projects than is possible with competing systems using conventional technology.
The company has taken the technology from the research bench to a pilot plant in Ohio. The first commercial operation was the ENVIA project in Oklahoma City, processing landfill and natural gas in a joint venture with Waste Management , NRG and Ventech Engineers. The plant started producing liquids on a commercial scale in June 2017 but had to be shut down in mid 2018 because of a gas leak (not to do with the core technology). The focus has since moved to projects converting biofuels to jet and other fuels.
Contact Details:
Harwell Innovation Centre,
173 Curie Avenue,
Harrell,
Oxfordshire OX11 0Qg,
U.K.
T: +44 (0)1235 838 621
Chairman: Dr. Pierre Jungels
CEO: David Pummell
Website: www.velocys.com
Fields of interest: Oil & Gas, Biomass
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