Taranaki site for Mobil plant?
Energy reporter . . The.‘Mobil synthetic petrol plant is “95 per cent certain” to be sited in Taranaki, possibly oh land leased from Petrocorp. , -. In the last two days Petrocbrp and Mobil have been identified as the companies that .will’ be; responsible for the stand-alone methanol plant ’and the synthetic petrol plant, j using Maui natural gas.,,, ) A “memorandum of understanding for - implementation” of . Mobil’s ■ synthetic petrol nroposal was signed in Wellington yesterday by the Minister -- of Energy (Mr Birch)-and ’theft chairman of Mobil OiI ; (N.Z.), Ltd (Mr P. W. Marriott). Mr Birch said that the [companies, could start dis-
cussions .on possible cooperation and the benefits that might arise from sharing and integrating their schemes. There was no reason why the companies could not examine the possibility of Mobil’s leasing land from Petrocorp to place the plants close to each other. The stand-alone methanol plant will be sited in Taranaki, where Petrocorp has bought land. Mobil does not own land in Taranaki, and it could either buy land in the area, close to the gas source, or lease it.. Mr Marriott said he was “95 per cent certain” that the Mobil plant would be sited in Taranaki.; .ft ;ftft. The next step would be to define the project, and a joint committee from the
Government and Mobil would do that over the next 2| months, Mr Birch said. A feasibility study and designs; would then be drawn up, taking up to 12 to 14 months, after which tenders would be called, the plants constructed and commissioned. Mobil will hold a 25 per cent interest in the project, which will be the first application of Mobil's conversion process. Mr Birch said the plant was expected .to supply one-third of New transport fuel needs by 1985. But other industry sources and economists believe -■ that it could be ’1986 or, 1987 before the plant is completed. -'Mr-Marriott said that synthetic netrol would retail for about 38c a litre on present estimates. -
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19800402.2.51
Bibliographic details
Press, 2 April 1980, Page 6
Word Count
332Taranaki site for Mobil plant? Press, 2 April 1980, Page 6
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.