Average daily production of natural gas is about 153 million cubic feet, the majority of which is piped to Ventura, Iowa, for distribution in the eastern United States.
The Synfuels Plant supplies carbon dioxide to the world`s largest carbon capture and storage project in the world in Saskatchewan, Canada. Dakota Gas currently delivers between 2.5 and 3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.
The $2.1-billion plant began operating in 1984. Using Lurgi gasifiers, the Synfuels Plant gasifies lignite coal to produce valuable gases and liquids. Located five miles northwest of Beulah, North Dakota, the Synfuels Plant has been owned and operated by Dakota Gas since 1988.
More than $1.3 billion has been invested in the Synfuels Plant since 1988 to achieve environmental compliance, improve efficiency, and diversify the product slate. Most recently, about $700 million was invested in a major expansion to produce urea, liquid carbon dioxide, and diesel exhaust fluid.
The Synfuels Plant is the only commercial-scale coal gasification plant in the United States that manufactures natural gas.
The plant was built in response to America`s quest for energy independence during the 1970s energy crisis by a group of five interstate pipeline companies, Great Plains Gasification Associates (GPGA), of which American Natural Gas (ANG) was the majority partner. Using the Lurgi process, ANG began gasifying lignite coal into synthetic natural gas in 1984.
The plant is adjacent to Basin Electric`s Antelope Valley Station, a 900-megawatt baseload electric generating plant. The Synfuels Plant and Antelope Valley Station share certain facilities and coal and water supplies: Antelope Valley Station supplies the Synfuels Plant with electricity, and the Synfuels Plant supplies several of Basin Electric`s gas peaking facilities with synthetic natural gas (SNG).
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) acquired the plant in 1985.
Dakota Gas acquired the plant from the DOE in 1988 pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement. Dakota Gas made its final payment to the DOE in February 2010. The U.S. government has recouped $1.3 billion of its original investment in the plant through revenue sharing, tax credits surrendered and the revenue received during ownership.
The plant is fueled by domestic lignite coal reserves in western North Dakota.
The plant is capable of gasifying more than 6 million tons of coal annually.
The plant is capable of average daily production of 153 million standard cubic feet of synthetic natural gas.
The plant is capable of selling more than 54 billion standard cubic feet of synthetic natural gas annually.
The plant transports synthetic natural gas through a 34-mile pipeline where it connects to the Northern Border Pipeline for delivery to homes and businesses in the eastern United States.
The plant produces fertilizers, solvents, phenol, carbon dioxide, and other chemical products for sale.
Dakota Gas has one for-profit subsidiary, Souris Valley Pipeline Ltd., which has the capacity to deliver up to 165 million standard cubic feet of carbon dioxide daily to two Canadian oil fields for enhanced oil recovery.
The plant has delivered more than 40 million metric tons of CO₂ for geologic sequestration since 2000.

Dakota Gasification Company products

Fertilizers

DGC - Model DAK SUL 45 - Ammonium Sulfate