Enefit to increase capabilities to utilise retort gas

When oil is produced from oil shale, high-calorific gas is also generated, which can be used to generate electricity. Today, retort gas is burned on a small scale in all the boilers of Enefit´s power plants. In the future, we will burn almost the entire volume of generated gas in the production plants that have the highest efficiency – in the Auvere Power Plant and in the modified CFB unit. By doing so, we will be able to produce more electricity from gas and use the energy inherent in oil shale optimally, all while reducing the environmental impact of electricity generation,” says Margus Vals, Member of the Management Board of Enefit.

Since the investment reduces the environmental impacts of electricity production, Enefit Energy applied to the Estonian Ministry of the Environment to partially substitute the pollution charges payable by the company with investments in the modification of the unit. “According to the agreement reached with the Ministry of the Environment, we assume the obligation to reduce the volume of fly and bottom ashes in Unit 8 of the Eesti Power Plant by at least 15% and produce from the same volume of retort gas at least 40 GWh of extra energy. The agreement allows us replacement of charges for removal of ash residue in Unit 8 to the extent of up to EUR 6.5 million over a period of three years. The actual volume of pollution charge replacement depends on the volumes of electricity produced in the modified unit and ash residues created,” Vals adds. The modification reducing the environmental impacts of energy production should be completed by 2018.

Three international companies participated in the procurement, with the contract being awarded to company Amec Foster Wheeler.

Amec Foster Wheeler designs, delivers and maintains strategic and complex assets for its customers across the global energy and related sectors. Employing around 36,000 people in more than 55 countries and with 2015 revenues of £5.5 billion, the company operates across the oil and gas industry – from production through to refining, processing and distribution of derivative products – and in the mining, clean energy, power generation, pharma, environment and infrastructure markets.

Enefit is an international energy company that operates in the unified electricity of the Baltic and Nordic countries and sells liquid to global markets. Enefit offers energy solutions ranging from electricity, heat and fuel production to sales, customer service and consulting. Enefit is the world´s largest oil shale energy company with over 75 years of experience.