Proposed Maverick County Energy Park Complex Project Presented to Eagle Pass Chamber Members
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2018
A full house of Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce members attended the Wednesday, June 20, 2018, Community Breakfast to learn about the proposed Maverick County Energy Park Complex Project being proposed by Mexiship Ocean, a Mexican Company, through its Managing Partner Rolando Ramon of Dallas, Texas.
Rolando Ramon presented a summary of the proposed Mexiship Maverick County Energy Park Complex being developed by Mexiship Ocean. Ramon stated that Mexiship is in the developmental stage of the over $750 Million proposed Maverick County Energy Park Complex, including site selection, obtaining permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), a United States Presidential Permit to export natural gas, refined products, and installation of a dark fiber trunk.
Ramon noted that Mexiship Ocean is seeking to acquire real property from Steve Chapman of Eagle Pass or another entity of about 600 acres in the vicinity of U.S. Highway 277 North and south of the Maverick County International Memorial Airport, adjacent to the Dos Republicas Coal Partnership Eagle Pass Mine area, as a potential site for the Mexiship Maverick County Energy Park Complex.
Ramon estimated that the developmental stage of the Energy Park Complex will cost between $1 to $5 Million and once the regulatory permits are obtained from both state and federal regulatory entities, the second phase of construction of the proposed Mexiship Ocean Maerick County Energy Park Complex should commence the construction of Phase I of a Distillation Plant that would be capable of producing 6,000 barrels of oil and gas related refined products such as diesel, gasoline, and other refined petroleum products. Ramon added that the Distillation Plant would be built from modular construction and could be expanded up to 24,000 barrels per day.
During construction of Phase I, Ramon estimated that approximately 400 to 600 people would be employed in one phase or another of construction and that once completed the Energy Park Complex would employ between 40 to 60 people working in three eight hour shifts, eventually going to 24 hours of operation.
During a question and answer session after the presentation, a local businesswoman questioned Ramon concerning the environmental impact of the proposed Energy Park Complex and Ramon replied that all environmental safeguards would be undertaken to protect the environment. Another local businessman questioned Ramon if the Energy Park Complex would use water for its manufacturing process and he replied “Yes.” Ramon added that his company is in negotiations with a company in Pecos, Texas that sells brackish water to oil and gas fracking companies to supply the proposed Maverick County Energy Park Complex.
Maverick County Commissioner Precint 4 Roberto Ruiz warned Ramon that there is a group of Maverick County citizens that are active in protecting the local environment and they usually oppose these kind of projects. Ramon thanked County Commissioner Roberto Ruiz for the heads up.
Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu noted that Eagle Pass is growing very rapidly and attracting these kind of economic development projects that provide employment to local citizens and reduce the unemployment rate within Maverick County.
Originally, Mexiship Ocean had looked into developing the Maverick County Energy Park Complex in southern Maverick County near El Indio, Texas to be close to the soon to be exploited oil and gas fields in the Burgos Basin, also known as the Eagle Ford Shale in Texas, in and around Hidalgo, Coahuila, Mexico. However, Mexiship Ocean has changed direction and is now looking at a site north of Eagle Pass, Texas with railroad access to Union Pacific Railroad line.
The proposed Distillation Plant will mostly use condensated oil and gas from the Texas Permian Basin Area to produce refined oil and gas products to be exported to Mexico and will use natural gas for energy to produce the refined oil and gas products.
Ramon noted that his company may in the future develop a similar or smaller size Distillation Plant in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico.
Earlier, the proposed Mexiship Ocean Maverick County Energy Park Complex had been described as a micro-refinery of oil and gas products. Currently, it is now called a Distillation Plant.
Ramon noted that the estimated time of completion of the project would take approximately 36 months to complete.
Ramon added that his company’s contact person in Eagle Pass is Morris Libson.
The proposed Mexiship Ocean Maverick County Energy Park Complex is designed to take advantage of the recently passed Mexican Engergy Reform under President Enrique Pena Nieto.
