Emerging Businesses encompasses the development of new technologies and businesses outside the company’s normal scope of operations. Current focus areas include power generation and innovative use of new technologies, such as those relating to conventional and nonconventional hydrocarbon recovery (including heavy oil), refining, alternative energy, biofuels, and the environment.

The Technology organization develops new business opportunities designed to provide future growth prospects for ConocoPhillips. Focus areas include advanced hydrocarbon processes, energy efficiency technologies, new petroleum-based products, renewable fuels, and carbon capture and conversion technologies. The company has commercialized production of renewable diesel, a new type of renewable fuel that utilizes existing infrastructure. Relationships have also been initiated with Iowa State University, Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels, and Archer Daniels Midland to develop second-generation biofuels.

Power Generation

The focus of ConocoPhillips’ power business is on developing projects to support the company’s E&P and R&M strategies. While projects in place to enable these strategies are included within their respective segments, projects with a significant merchant component are included in the Emerging Businesses segment.

The Immingham Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Plant, a wholly owned 730-megawatt facility in the United Kingdom, provides steam and electricity to the Humber Refinery and steam to a neighboring refinery, as well as merchant power into the U.K. market. In December 2009, commercial operation began on a 450-megawatt expansion, bringing total capacity to 1,180 megawatts.

ConocoPhillips also owns a gas-fired cogeneration plant in Orange, Texas, as well as a 50 percent operating interest in Sweeny Cogeneration LP, a joint venture near the Sweeny Refinery Complex.

E-Gas™ Gasification Technology

ConocoPhillips’ proprietary E-Gas™ Technology converts petroleum coke, coal or other low-value hydrocarbon feedstocks into high-value synthesis gas used for a slate of products, including power, substitute natural gas (SNG), hydrogen and chemicals.

This clean, efficient technology facilitates carbon capture and storage, as well as minimizes criteria pollutant emissions and reduces water consumption. E-Gas™ Technology has been utilized in commercial applications since 1987, first at the Louisiana Gasification Technology Inc. facility in Plaquemine, La., and since 1995 at the SG Solutions’ Wabash River Plant near Terre Haute, Ind.

ConocoPhillips has two U.S. and one U.K. project that applies E-Gas™ Technology in design and development. They are in early development stages, and final investment decisions for both will be predicated upon the presence of enabling regulation and legislation, combined with the appropriate economic environment.

Adjacent to the Sweeny Refinery, ConocoPhillips is progressing an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plant that would convert Sweeny Refinery petcoke into decarbonized power for sale into the fast-growing Texas market. The captured CO2 would be stored underground in nearby reservoirs. Additionally, the Kentucky NewGas project, which is being jointly developed with Peabody, is progressing necessary permits for a facility to convert coal and petroleum coke to SNG at a mine mouth location near Central City, Ky., that would be carbon-storage ready. In the United Kingdom, studies are under way for a gasification complex near the Humber Refinery to supply hydrogen fuel to regional power plants and to capture, transport and store CO2 in depleted gas fields in the Southern North Sea.

ConocoPhillips also licenses the E-Gas™ Technology to third parties, including the SG Solutions’ Wabash River facility, Mesaba Energy Project in Minnesota, Lima Energy in Ohio, Mississippi Gasification LLC, and POSCO’s Gwangyang coal-to-SNG project in Korea. ConocoPhillips also is pursuing several additional licensing opportunities, primarily in Asia and North America.

Global Water Sustainability Center

Co-venturers: ConocoPhillips (50.0%), GE (50.0%)
ConocoPhillips and GE Water & Process Technologies, a unit of General Electric Co., are equal co-venturers in a Global Water Sustainability Center set within the Qatar Science & Technology Park. The center will research and develop water solutions primarily for the petroleum and petrochemical sectors, but also focus on municipal and agricultural solutions. It has been designated as ConocoPhillips’ worldwide center of excellence for water-related technologies, disseminating findings to the company’s global operations, as well as to local government and industry partners. The center opened in early 2009, and the companies plan to invest $25 million in the center over its first five to seven years.