U.K.-based Velocys plc recently issued a business update confirming construction of the Envia Energy gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is progressing well.

Envia Energy is a joint venture of Velocys, Waste Management, NRG Energy and Ventech that will deploy several of Velocys’ full-scale commercial Fischer-Tropsch reactors. According to Velocys, the project will act as the commercial reference plant for its technology.

In its business update, Velocys said all modular process units, including those incorporating its reactors, and all other major packaged equipment skids, including the steam methane reformer, cooling towers, landfill gas inlet and syngas compression units have been set in place on site. In addition, system integration, piping and electrical work is ongoing, with approximately 150 personnel currently working on-site.

Earlier this year, Velocys made additional equity and debt funding to Envia Energy. As a result, the company said it has gained a greater influence in the commissioning, start-up and operations of the plant.

According to Velocys, a secondment agreement has been signed by Envia and Velocys for a team of Velocys operators and engineers to be on-site serving under the plant manager during commissioning and start-up.

Regarding other projects it is involved in, Velocys indicated Red Rock Biofuels, which is developing a biomass-to-liquids plant in Oregon, continues to make progress on permitting, financing and offtake agreements. The company also noted it has completed its part of an engineering study for a project being developed in Central Asia. However, Velocys said it has put development of its Ashtabula GTL project in Ohio on hold.