Project Updates

Molten Salt Catalyzed Gasification technology was developed at the Idaho National Laboratory, a United States Department of Energy Laboratory. Western Hydrogen Limited has been working with the Idaho National Laboratory under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to develop the technology and ready it for commercialization. Exclusive rights to the technology have been granted to Western Hydrogen Limited in return for its funding of the development.

The Molten Salt Catalyzed Gasification pilot plant is being shop fabricated by Zeton (www.zeton.com) and will be shipped to the Idaho National Laboratory for commissioning and initial testing in early 2012. The pilot plant will then be relocated to an industrial site owned by Aux Sable near the City of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. The location is ideal due to the proximity of feedstock supply, markets for hydrogen and transportation logistics including pipelines and rail. The pilot plant will be operated under the direction of Western Hydrogen Limited by Aux Sable personnel. The Molten Salt Catalyzed Gasification pilot plant will process pitch (super heavy oil) to produce up to two 200,000 SCFD of high pressure hydrogen.

The pilot plant will provide the data required to enable the construction of a demonstration plant. The demonstration plant is expected to produce on the order of 2 MMSCFD of hydrogen. When fabrication is complete, the demonstration plant will be placed on the same location in Alberta as the pilot plant — with start-up planned for 2014.