Enefit American Oil (EAO), a subsidiary of the Estonian energy group Eesti Energia, has signed an agreement with the University of Utah to take part in a regional air quality monitoring program. The outcome will serve as an important input for the Eesti Energia plan to develop state-of-the-art oil shale industry there, the Estonian company said.
Under the co-operation agreement, the university's Energy Dynamics Laboratory (EDL) is conducting a survey this winter about the ozone layer above Utah. A meteorology and air quality monitoring station belonging to EAO is one of the points where data is gathered.
The managing director of EAO, Rikki Hrenko, said in the press release the goal was to evaluate the scope of the impact arising from the industry and find ways for minimising negative influences in the planning stage. "At the same time, we are glad to be able to support gathering data important for the region with our equipment," he said. The press release described the agreement as setting out mutually beneficial co-operation that doesn't lay any financial obligations on either side.
The pre-development stage of the EAO oil shale industry project is estimated to take six years, being followed by a construction stage of three years. The first oil refined from oil shale using Enefit technology is expected to come out of the facility in 2020.
Eesti Energia pointed out that the Enefit international projects, carried out in the USA and Jordan, are not financed using proceeds from regulated businesses, that is, with revenue from the Estonian retail market.