Gas-to-fuels plant proposed in eastern Pa.
WERNERSVILLE (AP) – A Canadian company submitted plans to build an eastern Pennsylvania facility that would convert natural gas to such products as gasoline and propane.
Calgary-based EmberClear Corp. wants to build the facility on 63 acres in South Heidelberg Township, The Reading Eagle reported.
The township’s planning commission was to consider preliminary approval for the project during a meeting Tuesday night.
Township manager Ron Seaman said the firm estimates that the project could cost $850 million to $1 billion and take three years to complete. About 900 to 1,200 people could be employed during construction and 80 to 100 workers would operate the plant once it is built, he said.
The company would receive natural gas from an underground pipeline and ship gasoline and propane out by pipeline as well, Seaman said.
“That all goes out underground so we don’t have heavy trucks coming in and out at all time during the day,” he said.
EmberClear – which has offices in Calgary, Houston and Moosic – said on its website that it builds facilities to convert natural gas into transportation fuels or electricity.
The firm plans to build two natural gas combined-cycle electricity plants in Schuylkill County, breaking ground on the first one this spring, The (Pottsville) Republican-Herald reported last week.
Township supervisors approved a zoning change in November that would allow a natural gas conversion facility on the proposed site. Supervisor Richard Hummel said the project has serious potential.
“We can get the natural product in our state, keep it here and sell it here,” he said.