[22] Production rates have fallen consistently at the field over the past decade. When Denbury contacted the landowner to conduct a survey over the Texas Rice Partners property, they were denied entry. This page was last edited on 19 July 2021, at 03:13. The Supreme Court sided with Denbury, finding that it had proved by a reasonable probability that it was a common carrier. The pipeline, which ruptured Saturday in Yazoo County, belonged to Denbury Resources out of Texas. But the Supreme Court is unlikely to. "[26] CO2 enhanced oil recovery wells, a key component of Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage, also must report emissions generated via the production activity under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule under Subpart UU of the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting statute."[27]. For over two decades, the Company has maintained a unique strategic focus on utilizing CO2 in its EOR operations and since 2012 has also been active in CCUS through the injection of captured industrial-sourced CO2. The Texas Constitution provides that no persons property shall be taken for public use without adequate compensation. In the heart of its green environment, the property is discovered at the end of a dead end and immediately charms the visitor eager for serenity. Working with the support of Denbury Onshore, LLC ("Denbury Onshore") and its affiliate, Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC ("Denbury Green Pipeline"), Air Products designed, constructed and continues to operate a state-of-the-art system located at the Valero Port Arthur Refinery in Port Arthur, TX. This 46-mile pipeline delivers CO2 to the Big Sand Draw and Beaver Creek EOR fields. Texas landowners should pay close attention to this case as it is the latest analysis from the Texas Supreme Court with regard to the proper test to analyze eminent domain authority for common carrier pipelines. We won't have to bring any more down from Jackson Dome. [1] It is a member of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association. At the federal level, Denbury has deployed well-connected lobbyists to ensure more federal dollars for its Carbon Capture and Storage endeavors. The company called its operations "carbon negative" in that same report, noting that we more than offset those emissions by annually injecting over three million tons of industrial-sourced CO2 into the ground as part of our CO2 EOR process. Approximately 30% of all materials will be purchased in the local economy with substantial employment during the construction period with up to 750 workers onsite per day during peak construction periods. See Texas Natural Resources Code 111.019. "Methane, carbon dioxide, oil, water, brine and sands pushed up through the earth in a sparsely populated, marshy area. Denburys operations include oil and gas production, CO2 pipeline networks, and innovative carbon solutions. If the courts ultimately say that Denbury's pipeline is not a common carrier, the company could be required to rip the $1 billion project out of the ground. [37], In February 2020, the 24-inch Delhi Pipelinewhich sends CO2 from the Jackson Dome to the Hastings Field in Alvin, Texasexploded in Yazoo County, Mississippi. The study explained the industry will necessitate "major improvements inrecyclingbefore the full potential of this recovery technique can be realized. From 2010 to July 2014 drillers in the state of Texas reported using 924.07 gallons of diesel injected into one well. Thus, the "reasonable probability" question is a fact issue to be determined by a jury. "[75], During the CO2 EOR process, CO2 is not merely stored underground immediately. Under Texas law at that time, Denbury was not required to provide any other additional information to prove its common carrier status to the Railroad Commission. This means the CO2 is part of a continual process and is not sold. [56][57], The company also pays no severance tax in drilling for CO2 at the Jackson Dome and a legislative effort attempted to change that to a rate of 6%, but failed. 2012); TEX. Denbury has converted 17 idle former Bell Creek water injection wells for carbon dioxide injection and will convert another 12 by the end of 2010. "[78], In 1991, a production supervisor at Shell at the Jackson Dome further explained, "We're recycling everything we produce. [41] Documents obtained via open records request show over 31,000 barrels of CO2 leaked into the atmosphere. "At the surface, the CO2 is separated from the oil," explains the filing. Nearby cities and villages : Avignonet, Miribel-Lanchtre and Monteynard. Thus, the trial courts judgement was affirmed and Denbury is, as a matter of law, a common carrier pipeline with the power of eminent domain. [49], In 2007 in Amite County at a Denbury-operated CO2 EOR well, a blowout led to the evacuation of three nearby homes. Private property cannot be imperiled with such nonchalance, via an irrefutable presumption created by checking a certain box on a one-page government form. [2] Drilling at the field began in 1977 after discovery efforts began in the early-1970's, initially by Shell,[3]and CO2 initially got to oil fields via trucks in the pre-pipeline era. The science experiment did not measure CO2 emissions from the Jackson Dome, though, even though the CO2 originated from the field. [2], In November 2009, the company acquired another oil exploration company, Encore. v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC, No. [98], In June 2010, Denbury started carbon dioxide injection in Oyster Bayou field in eastern Chambers County, TX, and hopes to begin injecting at Hastings field south of Houston by the end of 2010. Appellate-level courts have split on this issue. In addition, we are building a portfolio of properties for carbon sequestration, in close proximity to our CO2 pipelines. The Cranfield oil field is currently hosting a U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored carbon capture and sequestration project to inject more than 1 million tons of carbon dioxide into an underground rock formation, followed by additional injections into the saline portion of the reservoir more than 10,000 feet below the surface. 35 B. The Denbury Carbon Solutions team was formed in January 2020 to advance Denburys leadership in the anticipated high-growth CCUS industry, leveraging Denburys unique capabilities and assets that were developed over the last 20-plus years through its focus on CO2 EOR. Texas Rice Land Partners, Ltd., et al. In 2008, Denbury sought to construct a pipeline Denbury's 1,300+ miles of CO 2 pipelines transport over 14 million metric tons of CO 2 each year, primarily in support of the Company's oil production. The court of appeals affirmed, holding that Denbury was a common carrier as a matter of law. Landowners in Texas challenged the right of pipelines to condemn easements for intrastate lines in Texas in Texas Rice Land Partners, Ltd. v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC, decided in 2011. Although the Courts opinion inDenbury I seemed to offer some hope to landowners seeking to challenge common carrier status, this opinion seems to dial back the level of proof needed in order to be deemed a common carrier. The project is targeted to produce an ammonia volume of around 1 million metric tons per annum (mmtpa) with associated CO2emissions of around 1.8 mmtpa and the potential for additional ammonia projects to follow. It produced transportation agreements with two non-affiliated companies. On Friday, January 6, 2017, the Texas Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas v. Texas Rice Land Partners ("Texas Rice II"), reversing the 9th Court of Appeals and reinstating the trial court judgment finding that a pipeline company, Denbury, had conclusively established its common carrier status through the presentation of a transportation agreement . [70][71], Denbury also paid a $662,500 fine to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality in 2013 after another CO2 blowout at the Tinsley Field. The Court ruled in 2017 that Denbury could utilize the legal authority to condemn privately-held land in building out the CO2 pipeline. They include the 183-mile Northeast Jackson Dome Pipeline,[64] the Free State Pipeline (90 miles), Delta Pipeline (110 miles), Green Pipeline Texas (120 miles), and Green Pipeline Louisiana (200 miles).[65]. For now, without any express language from the Supreme Court opinion on whether the analysis is so limited, it seems at least plausible that it would apply to all pipelines. Beth Bierhaus, 972.673.2554, beth.bierhaus@denbury.com, Denbury Executes Definitive Agreement with Lake Charles Methanol for CO2 Transportation and Storage Services. [2], On March 3, 2010 Tenaska announced that its proposed Taylorville Energy Center would cost $3.5 billion and would go on-line in 2014. carbon dioxide pipeline from the Lost Cabin gas treatment plant in Fremont County, Wyo., to Bell Creek field in Montana. Denbury Operating Company has no employees or physical assets, but owns all the stock of two subsidiariesDenbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC (Denbury Green) and Denbury Onshore, LLC. opinion in Texas Rice Land Partners, Ltd. v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC,which concerned a challenge to the eminent domain authority of a carbon dioxide pipeline.20 The court determined that a Railroad Commission permit and a filed tariff setting transportation rates are alone insuf-ficient to prove common-carrier status as a matter of law. As a CO2 producer, the company only must report its downstrema CO2 injection levels and not its emissions under the statute. [16], A 2020 study concluded that CO2 EOR using CO2 source fields like the Jackson Dome, McElmo Dome, Bravo Dome, Sheep Mountain, and Doe Canyon cannot contribute to reductions in anthropogenic CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.[17], Multiple studies have also called into question the climate benefits of CO2 EOR production even with anthropogenic carbon, pointing to the process as a net-positive greenhouse gas emitting process.[18]. The 24-inch, 320-mile Green Pipeline is designed to transport both natural and anthropogenic CO2, and is in close proximity to several potential industrial CO2 sources. The parties assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. The bottom line is this: the court reinforced their original ruling . For more information about Lake Charles Methanol, please visit www.lakecharlesmethanol.com. that Denburys vertically integrated business model amounted to a monopoly. A year later, the company General Crude Oil Co. announced an additional accidental discovery. "[9] Denbury is both the owner of all of those pipelines and the CO2 EOR fields. Denbury assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Indeed, the newly stated . After a "monitor showed unsafe concentrations of methane in the airauthorities suspected a natural gas pipeline, but Louisiana Department of Natural Resources spokesman Patrick Courreges said it now appears two or more plugged wells gave way underground," the AP further reported. [30] Once again in searching for oil in 1967, Chevron stumbled across natural CO2 in Rankin County, Mississippi, doing so by accident. We must decide whether Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC (Denbury Green) is a common carrier pursuant to the Texas Natural Resources Code and the test we set out in Texas Rice Land Partners, Ltd. v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC (Texas Rice I). [52], In an editorial for the Enterprise-Journal, one of the state's biggest local newspapers, the editorial board wrote "If it happenedin Amite County, it certainly can happen anyplace where there's drilling activity. Ltd. v. Denbury Green Pipeline, 363 S.W.3d 192 (Tex. Feb. 12, 2015). Denbury is running five rigs at Hastings field in northeastern Brazoria County, preparing wells for injection. The local newspaper described the 68% pure discovered CO2 as "useless" at the time. LEXIS 1377 (Tex. Denbury is a leading energy producer, with more than 191.7 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE) in estimated proved oil and natural gas reserves, as of December 31, 2021. by sending over 250,000mtpa of CO2 to the Green Pipeline . A. Denbury's "reasonable probability" test applies to a private entity claiming to be a railroad or interurban with the power of eminent domain. We are excited to be part of this new clean hydrogen fuels future along with our long-term methanol offtake customers and all of the other stakeholders in Lake Charles and Louisiana.. See Texas Constitution Article 1, Section 17. Eventually the flood will be mature enough that all we'll be doing is recycling. [10][11], Natural carbon dioxide is currently the source of over 80% of the CO2 for CO2 EOR in the United States[12]and CO2 EOR currently is the final carbon sink for nine of the ten biggest U.S.-based Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects currently commercially operational. T-4 permit to Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC to obtain common-carrier status, which would give it eminent domain authority pursuant to the Natural Resources Code. The court of appeals misapplied Denbury's reasonable- The Court issued its decision in 2012 (Denbury I) and reversed. [35], "Development of enhanced oil recovery techniques using (carbon dioxide) provides a major boost for our efforts to get more oil out of those oil fields," an executive for Shell told The Clarion-Ledger in 1985 of its CO2 EOR efforts using carbon drilled from the Jackson Dome. In evaluating whether the taking by HSC would be for a "public use," the court revisited the two pivotal opinions issued in Texas Rice Land Partners, Ltd. v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC, 363 S.W.3d 192 (Tex. Denbury has the largest pipeline network in the U.S.and our infrastructure is growing. First CO2 deliveries through the CCA Pipeline occurred in November of 2021. It led officials to temporarily shut down State Highway 3. Companywide oil production is expected to average 28,500 b/d of oil equivalent in 2010, including a contribution from the Bakken in the Williston basin. The following questions and answers provide, as a public service, basic, general information about pipeline companies in Texas and their powers of eminent domain. Additionally, we performed hydrographic surveys of the rivers and bayous that the Green Pipeline crosses. [33][34] Before the pipeline buildout began at the Jackson Dome, CO2 moved to CO2 EOR fields via rail. Would the court apply the same test when looking at a natural gas or crude oil pipeline? [4] Drilling at the field began in 1977 after discovery efforts began in the early-1970's, initially by Shell,[5] and CO2 initially got to oil fields via trucks in the pre-pipeline era. Will the legislature try and address this issue in the next 90 days? The plant will burn coal to produce syngas. [39] Three men passed out in their cars at the scene of the pipeline rupture, knocked unconscious. Texas law is clear that private property may not be taken for private use, but for public use only. Denbury acquired the Jackson Dome from Airgas in 2001 for $42 million. [46], Other records obtained show the Chief Operating Officer of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, Matthew Hewings, critiquing Denbury. VIEW DETAILED PIPELINE & OWNERSHIP INFORMATION, CO2 PIPELINE SAFETY FACTSHEET GULF COAST. ABOUT DENBURYDenbury is an independent energy company with operations and assets focused on Carbon Capture, Use and Storage (CCUS) and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) in the Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain regions. With more than 20 years of experience in EOR, and more than 1,300 miles of CO 2 dedicated pipelines in the U.S., Denbury is a world-leading carbon solutions provider. Rather than assuming that constructing a pipeline to transmit fuel constitutes a public purpose, the case of Texas Rice Land Partners Ltd. v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC, digs into the question of whether a private oil company serves a "public" purpose or simply transports product for private gain. When the Denbury Green Pipeline project planned to build a C02 pipeline from Missisippi to Brazoria and Galveston Counties in Texas, the company declared themselves a common carrier on a Railroad Commission form in March 2008, which granted them the power of eminent domain. He wrote, "I can't help but wonder if Denbury is being entirely forthcoming in their [National Response Center] reporting, which makes getting accurate information from the field problematic. Tectonically an ancient volcano site called the Jackson Volcano, drilling for carbon in the field facilitates CO2 enhanced oil recovery (CO2 EOR) in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. At Denbury, we take our responsibility to address climate change seriously. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent the parties estimates only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its estimates as of any future date. NAT. Carbon dioxide purchased under the contract would be used for enhanced oil recovery at Denbury's Cranfield oil field in Southwest Mississippi, as well as at the company's oil fields within the greater Gulf Coast area. 09-14-00176-CV, 2015 Tex. Get the latest business insights from Dun & Bradstreet. [97], The company is injecting CO2 in 14 oil fields in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. LEXIS 1377 (Tex. These statements are based on engineering, geological, financial and operating assumptions that Denbury believes are reasonable based on currently available information; however, their achievement are subject to a wide range of business risks, and there is no assurance that these goals and projections can or will be met. Those include Subparts PP, UU and W of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. [66], According to a 2019 lawsuit brought jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Denbury was responsible for 25 oil spills between 2008 and 2014, including spilling "5,000 barrels of oil and water mixture in the Tinsley field in central Mississippis Yazoo County after a pipe shifted because of ground settlement and erosion," the Associated Press reported. "[44] In October 2020, near the same area in Yazoo County, the same pipeline had another CO2 leak. These statements are based on engineering, geological, financial and operating assumptions that management of both parties believe are reasonable based on currently available information; however, their achievement are subject to a wide range of business risks, and there is no assurance that these goals and projections can or will be met. In 2020, the company produced 4.6 million cubic feet (MCF) of CO2. Denbury is an independent energy company with operations and assets focused on Carbon Capture, Use and Storage (CCUS) and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) in the Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain regions. Total volumes under the arrangement could surpass 50 million metric tons of CO, Mitsubishis ammonia facilities are planned for construction in close proximity to Denburys CO. Key highlights of Denburys term sheet with Mitsubishi include: Chris Kendall, Denburys President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, Todays announcement with Mitsubishi highlights Denburys position as the preferred business partner for transporting and storing captured industrial CO2emissions. I'm not saying it is cover up, but it would be awfully convenient for Denbury .. legally and financially if H2S was left out of the discussion. Our robust pipeline infrastructure is strategically located near the heavy emissions corridor along the U.S. Gulf Coast, and in the Rocky Mountain region. [98], Denbury is also advancing with right-of-way work on Green Core, a planned 230-mile, 20-in. [87], Another is Adam Bramwell, a former senior aide to U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE). Therefore, the Court remanded the case back to the trial court. - City, Town and . Despite the drop in oil prices, the tug-of-war between landowners and the Denbury Green pipeline company continues to play out in court in the landmark case that defined common-carrier status in Texas. 6 . [50][51], Three days after the blowout started, it was "still spewing so much carbon dioxide, saltwater and oil that officialsclosed a state highway and imposed a five-mile no-fly zone indefinitely," a local newspaper reported, also noting detectable levels of benzene in the area surrounding the well. Denbury employees make a differenceand they are supported by excellent benefits and a culture that values diversity, equity and inclusion. currently move through Denburys pipelines, COPYRIGHT 2022 DENBURY INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The Denbury Carbon Solutions team was formed in January 2020 to advance Denburys leadership in the anticipated high-growth CCUS industry, leveraging its unique capabilities and assets that were developed over the last 20-plus years through its focus on CO2EOR. Construction of the project is expected to start in the second half of 2023. Denbury Green is an affiliate of Denbury Onshore, LLC, and both are wholly owned, indirect subsidiaries of Denbury Resources, a publicly traded holding company. The company is negotiating with CO2 suppliers.[98]. Oct 28, 2022 - Entire home for $217. We look forward to working with Mitsubishi on this project, which represents a significant step in the creation of substantial value through our Carbon Solutions business.. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, addressed issues regarding when a pipeline company is a common carrier and therefore, when the eminent domain power is available to pipeline companies.The Texas Natural Resources Code allows "common carrier" pipelines to wield the eminent domain power only if they are going to transport gas "to or for the . Michael E. Schonberg In so doing, the court demonstrated that its 2012 holding in a related case - Texas Rice Land Partners, Ltd. v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC ("Texas Rice Land Partners I") - should not be taken as a stringent restriction on Texas pipeline companies' rights to use eminent domain. Denbury Resources is an oil exploration and development company that specializes in injecting sequestered carbon dioxide (CO2) into old oil wells to decrease oil viscosity, increase flow rate, and help pump out difficult-to-reach oil. "It allows us to produce oil that cannot be recovered economically with any other known technology. Additionally, the extreme symptoms reported by the victims are consistent with exposure to HZS. In 2021, we used 3.7 million metric tons of CO in our EOR operations, keeping the equivalent of annual greenhouse gas emissions from approximately 1 MM cars out of the atmosphere. [32] Commercial production of the CO2 began in 1977 and CO2 EOR using the Jackson Dome's carbon began in 1985 at the Little Creek Field. The people in this state are not for giving away our natural resources, and they need to be aware that its happening.[60], Denbury fought against the measure, with a lobbyist for the company stating, "I contend the state is getting something from what we do in the state of Mississippi, regardless of where the carbon dioxide goes. The agreement between Denbury and Mitsubishi underscores the parties shared . . Denbury acquired the Jackson Dome from Airgas in 2001 for $42 million. The pipleline released CO2 into the air, making people "act like zombies," said first responder . Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas LLC ("Denbury Green") is a subsidiary of Denbury Operating Company. Over time, a CCUS system could be expanded, tapping into additional active and depleted reservoirs throughout the U.S. Gulf Coast both onshore and offshore. For more information about Denbury, visitwww.denbury.com. [13], Traditionally known as CCS, CO2 EOR is a central component of a rebranding effort which began in 2012 known as CCUS, or carbon capture utilization and storage. Although the Texas Supreme Court decision in Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC v. Texas Rice Land Partners, Ltd.has put an end to the litigation, there are a number of unanswered questions and potential issues that remain in the opinions aftermath. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas L.L.C., the Texas Supreme Court articulated a standard based on the Texas Natural Resources Code to determine when a pipeline company can have common carrier status. But it is dangerous work, and there is plenty of risk involved." "So much carbon dioxide came out that it settled in some hollows, suffocating deer and other animals, Mississippi officials said," the Associated Press reported. We plan to increase our usage of industrially sourced CO2 from currently planned or future construction of facilities that plan to implement carbon capture technology. See Tex. Despite the drop in oil prices, the tug-of-war between landowners and the Denbury Green pipeline company continues to play out in court in the landmark case that defined common-carrier status in Texas. Located just 25 miles from Denbury's existing CO 2 Green Pipeline, the project site is ideally positioned to sequester large volumes of CO 2 from Gulf Coast industrial emissions sources.. Our environmental, social and governance policies reflect our commitment to responsibly meet the worlds energy needs. [95], In 2009, synfuels manufacturer Rentech contracted to sell all of the carbon dioxide to be captured at its proposed coal gasification facility, Belwood Coal-to-Liquids, to Denbury Onshore, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Denbury. App.Beaumont February 12, 2015, no pet. Since 2001, we have acquired or constructed nearly 750 miles of CO2 pipelines in the Gulf Coast, and as of December 31, 2021, we own nearly 925 miles of CO2pipelines in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. [40], A sheriffs investigator stated that those rescued during the incident were acting like zombies and some were foaming at the mouth. The sheriff deputy called to the scene also had to be hospitalized. The court relied on testimony that the pipeline would be available for public use from the time it became operational. Get the BillionGraves app now and help collect images for this cemetery! The Texas Supreme Court held that a pipeline seeking to exercise the power of eminent domain must prove that the pipeline will be put to a "public use "[79], In 2016, the U.S. Department of Interior's Office of Natural Resources Revenue also explained the CO2 EOR process as one centering around recycling in a legal ruling pertaining to disputes over royalty payments at the Bravo Dome. Pipeline construction is to start in August 2010, and injection is planned for late 2012 or early 2013. Denbury then purchased Airgas' Jackson Dome assets in 2001, a $42 million acquisition. View source version onbusinesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210921005260/en/, DENBURY CONTACTS:Brad Whitmarsh, Executive Director, Investor Relations, 972.673.2020,brad.whitmarsh@denbury.comSusan James, Manager, Investor Relations, 972.673.2593,susan.james@denbury.com, Denbury Executes Term Sheet with Mitsubishi Corporation for CO2 Transport and Storage from Ammonia Project, https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210921005260/en/, Denbury will transport and sequester all of the CO, The term sheet contemplates an initial period of 20 years, with the ability to extend further. The Jackson Dome injected 6.67 million metric tons of CO2 via EOR in 2019, according to EPA data. For more information about Denbury, visit www.denbury.com. [15] According to a 2014 U.S. Department of Energy study, 97% of the industrial marketed carbon is used for CO2 EOR. Denbury Operating Company has no employees or physical assets, but owns all the stock of two subsidiariesDenbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC (Denbury Green) and Denbury Onshore, LLC. [68] The Tinsley Field is one of Denbury's CO2 EOR fields connected to the Jackson Dome. Most of the hydrogen is produced by the steam methane reforming (SMR) process, through which methane and water are converted to H 2 and CO 2, and virtually all of the . [82], The need for the field to purchase new CO2 is gradually reduced over time, further explains a 2019 paper published by the U.S. Department of Energy. This case will continue to have serious impacts on landowners and pipeline companies dealing with the use of eminent domain in Texas. 09-14-00176-CV, 2015 Tex. The company is looking to incorporate proposed coal plant carbon capture and storage technologies into their operations. CODE 111.019(a). Denbury Green noted in its permit application that the CO 2 pipeline would be operated as a "common carrier", and indicated that the gas would be "owned by others, but transported for a fee." When the Denbury Green Pipeline project planned to build a C02 pipeline from Missisippi to Brazoria and Galveston Counties in Texas, the company declared themselves a "common carrier" on a Railroad Commission form in March 2008, which granted them the power of eminent domain. The facility is designed to utilize Topsoes SynCORTM technology to convert natural gas into hydrogen which will be synthesized into methanol, while incorporating permanent carbon capture and sequestration. Encore management proposed to build compression facilities adjacent to a gas plant in Freemont County, Wyoming, and construct a 206-mile pipeline to transport the compressed CO2 to tertiary recovery projects at its Bell Creek Field in southeastern Montana, but this never expanded beyond the planning stage due to funding issues.