The Philippine National Oil Co.-Energy Development Corp. is building a plant designed for small-scale production of coco methyl ester using waste geothermal heat from its geothermal power plant in Palinpinon, Oriental Negros.

The plant, estimated to cost P2.5 million, will have a 1,000 liter capacity a day, Agnes de Jesus, PNOC-EDC vice president for environment and external relations, said yesterday.

It is targeted to be completed this year, she said.

It will use geothermal waste heat from a reinjection well using shell and heat tube exchangers, she said.

The proposed plant, which will be built at the entry pad of Southern Negros Geothermal Production Field in Palinpinon, will supply the fuel requirements of firm’s fleet of vehicles, PNOC-EDC in a report to the Philippine Stock Exchange said yesterday.

PNOC-EDC has no plans to venture into large scale production of coco methyl ester for bio diesel, it added.

However, since 2004 the PNOC-EDC Energy Research and Development Department has been undertaking studies in the development of plant design for the small scale production of coco methyl ester.

This year a coco methyl plant will be piloted in SNGPF to supply requirements of all the company vehicles there, the report said.

If found economically viable, the design could then be offered to cooperatives residing in the vicinity of the SNGPF as a livelihood option, the report said.*CPG

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