Experts Available on Ultra Clean Fuels and EPA Diesel Mandate
TULSA, Oklahoma, May 25, 2004 -- With the recent signing of new federal standards to slash soot from diesel engines, and with persistently high energy costs and the ongoing debate over how to economically achieve compliance with new environmental regulations, experts are available for comment and analysis of commercially viable ultra-clean fuels.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week enacted new regulations to remove 99 percent of the sulfur in diesel fuel for off-road diesel engines by 2010, as well as to cut emissions from off-road vehicles by more than 90 percent. Off-road vehicles include construction, agricultural and industrial diesel-powered equipment. These regulations supplement the 2000 Clean Diesel Truck and Bus Rule that requires significant reductions in these pollutants for on-highway vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks and buses.
There remains some debate over how best to fulfill the new requirements, including their potential costs and advisability of various technological solutions, including both clean engine and clean fuels technologies. One solution involves ultra-clean diesel produced from natural gas by gas-to-liquids (or GTL) technology. These fuels are essentially free of soot and sulfur emissions covered by the new EPA regulations. GTL, which economically recovers stranded natural gas, recently achieved commercialization with the completion of the Syntroleum plant at the Port of Catoosa, near Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Available Experts Include: * Kenneth Agee: Technical analysis of clean fuels solutions to meet EPA regulations Prior to founding Syntroleum Corporation in 1984, Mr. Agee worked 15 years in crude oil refining and natural gas processing for Texaco, Cities Service and Transok, Inc. Agee researched Fischer-Tropsch technology and developed the Syntroleum Process(R) for converting natural gas into synthetic liquid fuels. Currently, he is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Syntroleum Corporation. * John B. "Jack" Holmes, Jr.: Industry veteran on commercially viable solutions Now serving as President and Chief Operating Officer of Syntroleum Corporation, many industry observers know 33-year industry veteran Holmes best for his role as Zilkha Energy Company's President and Chief Operating Officer. When Zilkha was acquired by Sonat, Inc. in 1998, Mr. Holmes became Senior Vice President of Sonat, Inc. and President/CEO of its Sonat Exploration subsidiary. In 1999, Sonat was acquired by El Paso Energy Company, where Holmes became President of Oil and Gas Operations. In 2001 El Paso Energy merged with The Coastal Corporation, and Mr. Holmes took the position of Chief Operating Officer for Petroleum Assets. * Larry Weick: Financial analysis of clean fuels solutions Mr. Weick, who previously served Arco Oil & Gas Company for 12 years, is Syntroleum Corporation senior vice president and chief financial officer. In addition, Mr. Weick has: co-founded a horizontal drilling technology company; developed and managed independent power project proposals for natural gas and electricity utility companies; worked as senior advisor to Papua New Guinea's Ministry of Minerals & Energy on electric power system economics, power supply planning, and restructuring; and served in Africa with the Peace Corps building rural electrification projects. * Jeffrey Bigger: Technical and scientific analysis of clean fuels solutions Mr. Bigger has 23 years of experience in management of research, engineering, design and optimization of oil, gas and chemical production facilities. As ARCO's Dallas-based Gas-to-Liquids Technology Manager, he was responsible for that company's GTL program, including research, engineering, pilot plant and commercialization efforts. Mr. Bigger also served as Facility Engineering Manager for ARCO E&P Technology, Process Engineering Manager for ARCO Oil and Gas, Area Facility Engineer for ARCO Alaska, and a Process Engineer for Oxirane and Rohm & Haas. He now serves as Vice President of Engineering at Syntroleum Corporation.
To schedule an interview, please contact Jack Holmes of Syntroleum Corporation at 918-592-7900 or Eric Berman of Kekst and Company at 212-521-4894.
Syntroleum Corporation owns a proprietary gas-to-liquids process for converting natural gas into synthetic liquid hydrocarbons. The Company plans to use its GTL technology, as well as other third party gas processing technologies, to develop and participate in gas monetization projects in a number of global locations.