- Renergen reports that the first filling a helium container with liquid has now taken place and collected by a customer.
Renergen’s Virginia Gas Project comprises production rights of 187 000 ha of gas fields across Welkom, Virginia and Theunissen, in the Free State, with an additional 18 732,93 ha in exploration rights. The source of the Virginia Gas Project’s natural gas is primarily microbial. It originates from deep within the Witwatersrand Supergroup via groundwater circulating through large faults and contacting bacteria deep within the earth’s crust. This means the methane is a biogenic and a continuing renewable resource.
After facing challenges cooling large iso-containers to the extreme temperatures needed for liquid helium storage (-269 degrees Celsius), the company implemented an effective alternate solution. They will now regularly fill smaller Dewars (250-500 litres) with liquid helium. This will ensure the plant reaches closer to nameplate capacity.
“Our team began cooling the vessel on the 13th of March at 9:00 AM and completed the fill in the mid-afternoon. The quality of both our LNG and liquid helium now exceeds minimum design specifications. We remain committed to increasing production and developing the Virginia Gas Project to its full potential,” said the company in a statement.
“This achievement represents a concrete step toward rebuilding the trust placed in us — a commitment we take seriously. Our operations team has poured their hearts and souls into overcoming these technical challenges,” said CEO Stefano Marani. “Successfully managing cryogenic liquid at -269 degrees Celsius is a remarkable accomplishment achieved by very few companies worldwide. We remain committed to restoring confidence through consistent delivery and performance as we continue to advance the Virginia Gas Project.”
Related news: Gas exploration company, Renergen, has expressed concerns regarding the ongoing construction of the Springbok Solar project in an area designated for future natural gas extraction. The developer of the solar project is the SOLA Group. Read more
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
