Lakeview Project Summary:
Red Rock Bio-fuel’s first project in Lakeview, Oregon.
- Project: Convert 136,000 tons of waste woody biomass into 15.1 million gallons/year of renewable fuels.
- Site: Lakeview, OR is ideally situated in large wood basket, next to State Highway 395 and adjacent to short line rail feeding the UP mainline.
- Process Design: World-class – Incorporates three known technologies – gasification, Fischer- Tropsch, and hydroprocessing. Yields ASTM-approved fuels currently in use globally.
- Fuel Offtakes: World class offtake partners.
- Funding Sources: Project funded by a combination of bonds and equity.
- Strong Management Team: A track record of delivering projects under budget, ahead of schedule, and producing over nameplate capacity. Developed/financed/built 8 renewable fuel plants; >$650 million in construction value; >325 million gal/yr.
- EPC: Contract with IR1 Group
Team effort
Red Rock will operate utilizing a method of synthetic fuel production first engineered by Germany during World War II known as the Fischer-Tropsch process. By heating woody biomass such as tree limbs, sawdust and pine needles to 1800 degrees in an oxygen-free environment, the materials convert to a gas that is placed in long hydrocarbon chains. Those chains are then run through a hydrocrack and cut into fuel.
The process is already utilized around the world on coal and natural gas, but Red Rock’s approach of using waste products is a new concept that will help with forest health by reducing fire fuels and reduce carbon footprints that adversely impact climate change. Around 136,000 tons of waste will be processed at the facility annually, creating millions of gallons of fuel to be sold to Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and the U.S. military.
‘Turning point’
“This bio-refinery marks a turning point,” said Red Rock CFO Jeff Manternach at last year’s groundbreaking ceremony. “It will keep our forests healthy by using waste biomass before it burns up. It will help this mill town continue to be a place where things are made. Critically, it will provide renewable low-carbon fuels to combat climate change.”
A new railroad spur is being built that will unload fuel onto rail cars, as well as a six-inch natural gas pipeline to tap into the Ruby Pipeline near Lakeview.
Local contractors
Anderson Engineering & Surveying in Lakeview for joining the project to handle civil work and surveying on site.
With other projects ongoing in the region, including solar developments, Red Rock has pulled in crews from Klamath Falls and Medford to work on the site.
