CALGARY, January 22, 2024 – Condor Energies Inc. (“Condor” or the “Company”) (TSX:CDR), a Canadian based energy transition company is pleased to announce that it has received a natural gas allocation (the “Gas Allocation”) from the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan”). The Gas Allocation will be used as feed gas for the Company’s first modular liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) production facility.
The feed gas will be liquefied to produce up to 350 Tonnes per day (210,000 gallons per day) of LNG, which can fuel approximately 125 rail locomotives or 215 large mine haul trucks (150 Tonne haul capacity). The CO2 emission reductions associated with using this LNG volume to displace diesel fuel equates to removing over 31,000 cars from service annually.
The Company has also acquired 12 hectares of industrial land where the first modular LNG facility will be constructed. Front-end engineering and design is complete and detailed engineering will commence shortly. Discussions are underway with end-users to confirm LNG volume commitments and the Company is reviewing project funding alternatives before proceeding with construction.
Don Streu, President and CEO of Condor commented: “We are very happy and appreciative to receive this Gas Allocation that advances our vision of producing Kazakhstan’s first LNG. This is a significant milestone as Kazakhstan has been experiencing natural gas shortages, which was impacting our ability to secure a long-term LNG feedstock gas supply contract.
Our LNG initiative fully supports the Government’s strategy to materially expand the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (“TITR”), which links a major Asian trade route with Europe. Our LNG can be used as a domestically produced low carbon fuel as a substitute for diesel to address the increased usage of rail locomotives and transport trucks between China and the Caspian Sea, and the marine vessels used to cross the Caspian Sea. Given the geo-political situations in Russia and the Middle East, the TITR is even more vital to expedite timely trade and transportation between Asia and Europe. Condor is working closely with Kazakhstan’s national railway and marine companies to implement an LNG solution in 2025.
Our LNG initiative also supports the Government’s strategy to implement technological transformations for decarbonization to achieve the country’s net-zero carbon goal as per its Strategy on Achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2060 adopted in 2023.”
CONDOR’S MODULAR LNG PROJECT
Condor is developing Kazakhstan’s first Liquified Natural Gas (“LNG”) facilities and will produce, distribute, and sell LNG to offset industrial diesel usage. Applications include rail locomotives, long-haul truck fleets, marine vessels, mining equipment, municipal bus fleets, agricultural machinery, and other equipment with large diesel engines. These applications have all successfully used LNG fuel in other parts of the world.
The Company is implementing an LNG liquefaction technology that was originally developed by the United States Department of Energy. The “modular” nature of this technology will allow Condor to ‘right-size’ LNG production facilities in various regions of Kazakhstan. These LNG facilities will be designed and configured to match production with local demand and are scalable to ensure optimal efficiencies for LNG deliveries to end-users.
Conventional full-scale LNG plants are complex, expensive, and require construction times of five or more years before production commences. Costing upwards of US$10 to $15 billion, they are generally constructed at locations that support export sales of LNG via marine tankers.
Conversely, modular LNG plants have significantly smaller footprints and are decentralized, providing the ability to ‘localize’ LNG production and distribution. Modular plants are efficient, cost effective and can be tailored to multiple industries and end-users. They can be built quickly and are relatively inexpensive compared to the larger export-focused terminals, with construction timelines of only 12 to 18 months from design to first production. The scalability component of modular plants is also critical when establishing an emerging market, where a conventional full-scale LNG facility would face significant near-term cash flow and operating cost challenges.
ABOUT CONDOR ENERGIES INC
Condor Energies is a TSX-listed energy transition developer focused on diverse initiatives in Central Asia and Turkey. With producing gas assets, an ongoing project to construct and operate Central Asia’s first LNG facility and a separate project to develop and produce lithium brine, the Company has built a strong foundation for reserves, production and cashflow growth while also striving to minimize its environmental footprint.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this news release constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities legislation. Such statements are generally identifiable by the terminology used, such as “anticipate”, “appear”, “believe”, “intend”, “expect”, “plan”, “estimate”, “budget”, “outlook”, “scheduled”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would”, “in the process of” or other similar wording. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, information concerning: the timing and ability to construct Kazakhstan’s first LNG facility; the timing and ability to receive and liquefy the gas to produce up to 350 Tonnes per day of LNG; the timing and ability to generate sufficient LNG; the timing and ability to realize CO2 emission reductions; the timing and ability to contract and utilize the land for the LNG facility construction; the timing and ability to begin detailed engineering; the timing and ability to reach consensus on end-user volume commitments; the timing and ability to execute funding alternatives; the timing and ability to fund, permit and complete the planned activities; the timing and ability to produce, distribute and sell LNG as a substitute fuel to displace diesel; the timing and ability to complete LNG end-user contracts with end-users; the timing and ability to implement an LNG solution in 2025; the timing and ability to implement the liquefaction technology; the timing and ability to design, configure and build modular plants to match production with demand; the timing and ability to expand the modular plants; the timing and ability for modular plants to be more efficient, less expensive, have shorter construction timelines and face fewer cash flow and operating cost challenges compared to the larger export-focused terminals; the timing and ability to complete construction on a modular plant in 12 to 18 months from design to first production; the timing and ability to increase reserves, production and cashflow; and the timing and ability to minimize the Company’s environmental footprint.
The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
For further information, please contact Don Streu, President and CEO or Sandy Quilty, Vice President of Finance and CFO at 403-201-9694.