Noble Energy Completes 130MW Phase I of Power Plant in Ecuador

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Noble Energy, Incorporated (NYSE: NBL) (Houston, Texas), a Private Energy Producer (PEP), announced that they have started commercial operations at their Machala Power plant.

Noble Energy, through its subsidiaries EDC Ecuador Limited and Machala Power Cia Limited, owns both the Amistad natural gas field and the 130-megawatt (MW) power plant to which it provides approximately 30 million cubic feet per day of natural gas. Phase I of the power plant consists of two 65MW natural gas-fired combustion turbine/generator sets (General Electric Frame 6FA's). The projects currently employ 20 people.

Phase II is the addition of a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and a 110MW steam turbine/generator. Phase III adding a third combustion turbine/generator has also been considered as part of the original scope, but that will depend on the economics of the first two phases. Company officials are very hopeful as the first phase came online early and since there has been a shortage of power, it should help benefit both Ecuador and Noble Energy.

Noble Energy, Incorporated is an independent oil and gas exploration and development company, with oil and gas reserves totaling 394.5 million barrels. Domestically, over 71% of the company's production is gas. Internationally, Noble is engaged in a major methanol project in Equatorial Guinea, and owns assets in both Ecuador and Israel. The company operates in three basic areas: Domestic Onshore, Domestic Offshore, and International. Onshore operations are principally conducted in California, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, and Texas. Offshore activities are principally in the Gulf of Mexico. International production is in Equatorial Guinea, the North Sea, and Argentina, while development and exploration projects are being under taken in Equatorial Guinea, Ecuador, Israel, Argentina, China, the North Sea, and Vietnam.