Penwell may get more development

Ector County commissioners on Tuesday will consider a memorandum of understanding related to the possible construction of a carbon capture plant at Penwell, adjacent to the gasoline manufacturing plant being planned there.

Officials said the details were still sketchy because the site was only one of those being reviewed for the proposal, which is being referred to as CTV Projects.

The memorandum would be with Duff & Phelps, a New York City-based multinational financial consultancy firm whose clients would carry out the project.

Wesley Burnett, director of economic development for the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, said Monday that “CTV” does not stand for Chevron Technology Ventures, which is building a biodiesel plant at Houston with Galveston Bay Biodiesel, and Burnett said the company’s identity was being kept confidential for the time being due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

“It’s a carbon capture project and we are talking to the company about incentives,” he said.

Burnett said the availability of land at Penwell, 15 miles west of Odessa off I-20, and its infrastructure are two reasons that the area is attractive to companies like Nacero Inc. of Houston, which has decided to build a $4.7-billion plant to convert natural gas into gasoline. “There are a lot of pipelines out there,” he said.

Construction on the Nacero complex is scheduled to start late this year or early next year with Ector County and other local entities having granted property tax abatements.

Carbon capture is a process by which carbon dioxide emissions from sources like coal-fired power plants are either reused or stored so that they do not enter the atmosphere, according to references.

County Judge Debi Hays said Monday that the CTV Project and Nacero “will complement each other and they will both create jobs.”

In other business during the 10 a.m. meeting at the county administration building at 1010 E. Eighth St., the commissioners will:

>> Consider County Agent Steve Paz’ request to appoint Alexis Ruch the shared Ector-Midland County Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources.

>> Accept a $1,000 donation from Allora Hair Salon for the sheriff’s office.

>> Discuss using the sheriff’s commisary account to buy Motorola radio equipment from the RTC Co.

>> Hear sheriff’s information technology specialist Steve White’s request to repair radio dishes and antennas at the Notrees and Penwell towers that were damaged by storms.

>> Consider Public Works Director Evans Kessey’s proposal to install speed bumps at the county cemetery.

>> Discuss joining the National Association of Counties.

>> Review the court’s calendar for writing the 2021-22 budget.

>> Consider awarding a contract for jail medical mobile imaging services.

>> Hear Human Resources Director Donna James’ report on the possible enactment of an inclement weather emergency closing and evacuation policy.

>> Discuss selling the county’s property at 218 Park for $50,000, which Hays said “is less than the market value specified in the judgment of foreclosure and less than the total amount of judgments against the property.”