$12 million has been included in the proposed Washington state budget under “freight and mobility funding” for the dock and roadway to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas to methanol refinery backed by the Chinese government for methanol transport to China.
Richard DeBolt, Northwest Innovation Works director of external relations, is a Washington state Representative. Other influential NWIW employees include Rick Desimone, senior adviser with Northwest Innovation Works and former Chief of Staff for Sen. Patty Murray and former Gov. Gary Locke, now chairman of NWIW’s Global Advisory Board.
Customers pay for pipelines. NWIW has contracted to use Northwest Natural pipelines for three years which will necessitate running at less than capacity during peak periods. In order to ensure a steady supply of gas, other gas users in the region will be forced to switch from "non-firm" gas supply contracts to more expensive "firm" contracts.
The Kalama refinery would require 38 percent of all natural gas used in Washington state. In 2015 the Northwest Gas Association wrote, “a large enough project … would likely need new infrastructure regardless of their preferred gas transportation type simply due to high utilization of the existing pipeline systems."
So a project half the size of the Kalama refinery would require a new pipeline. The new pipeline required to meet the needs of the Kalama refinery would be built along the Interstate 5 corridor from Canada and large enough to export from an additional new refinery in Port Westward also. Until an additional pipeline is constructed, China would control all of the excess natural gas capacity in the state of Washington and Western Oregon. We pay with our health and degradation of our air, water and environment. For more information: Nomethanol360.com. Join citizens April 29 at the Kalama marina. See the Cowlitz Canoe and Fishing Boats Parade. Enjoy lunch. Attend information sessions and workshops.
