Timeline

Patent filed for the Hybrid Energy System, designed to convert coal into char, gas and hydrocarbon liquids through retorting.

Signed letter of intent with US company, Oil-Tech, Inc., to form a JV company (Millennium Synfuels), to commercialise the Hybrid Energy System.

Acquired two exploration tenements in South East Queensland, Australia.

Formed Millennium Synfuels, (51% owned by Ambre Energy, 49% owned by Oil-Tech).

Opened a new office in Brisbane and Salt Lake City.

Ambre Energy acquires five exploration tenements near Pittsworth in south-east Queensland.

Commenced drilling near Pittsworth, Queensland. Testing indicated that the coal is suitable for upgrading through both retorting and gasification.

Agreement signed with University of Utah to support dimethyl ether (DME – a next generation diesel fuel substitute) catalyst and reactor development.

Commenced drilling near Millmerran in Queensland.

Ambre Energy converts to an unlisted public company.

Modified the Oil-Tech pilot plant to make it suitable for coal retorting. Completed trials on a number of coal types.

Received an Australian Research Council grant for a joint research project with the University of Queensland for the use of DME in diesel engines.

Commenced a feasibility study, in collaboration with North American Coal, for a demonstration plant utilizing the Hybrid Energy System in Red Hills, Mississippi, USA.

Commenced a search for additional coal reserves and export infrastructure in the US.

Purchased remaining shares in Oil-Tech, Inc., giving Ambre 100% ownership of Hybrid Energy System IP as well as 33,000 acres of oil shale leases in Utah.

Lodged an environmental impact statement with the Queensland Government for a DME demonstration project near Pittsworth, Queensland.

Established Ambre Energy North America, Inc. as a wholly owned subsidiary.

Completed Red Hills demonstration plant feasibility study (GFC reduced funding risk appetite. Focus changed from commercially proven technology)

Defined a 500 million tonne coal resource at Felton, Queensland.

Completed an engineering feasibility study on upgrading Powder River Basin coal using a commercially available lump coal retorting process.

Completed an engineering concept study for the conversion of Felton coal into gasoline.

Signed a licence agreement with ExxonMobil for the methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) technology.

Completed successful pilot scale gasification trials in Germany.

Announced plans to build a $3.5 billion coal-to-gasoline project (called ambreCTL) to replace the DME project at the site at Felton.

Extended University of Utah research agreement to fund the development of DME catalyst.

Received proposals from other key CTL technology providers.

Completed an engineering feasibility study for the conversion of PRB coal into gasoline.

Commenced the regulatory approvals process for ambreCTL.

Conducted successful commercial scale gasification trials in China.

Acquired a 62% stake in Millennium Bulk Terminals-Longview (MBTL) in Washington with intent to develop as a coal export terminal.

Secured land at Oregon's Port of Morrow for a potential coal storage and barge loading operation.

Awarded US$1.2 million by the Wyoming Government Clean Coal Technology Fund (CCTF) to develop liquid fuel conversion projects.

Defined a 300 million tonne resource at Mount Molar, Queensland.

Received a land lease option from the Port of Corpus Christi in Texas, USA, to build a coal terminal for export through the Gulf of Mexico.

Acquired 50% stake in two operating thermal coalmines in Wyoming and Montana (as well as 100% of two non-operating mine sites).

Signed Terminal Service Agreement for Morrow Pacific project, enabling plans for a transloading facility at the Port Westward Industrial Park, Oregon, USA, to proceed.

MBTL submits permits to revitalise brownfield port facility at Longview, USA.

Submitted permits to build barge loading terminal at Port of Morrow.

Commenced high-level evaluations for potential coal-to-liquids projects in Wyoming, Montana and Texas.

Signed investment and coal offtake agreement for US coal with Korea South East Power Co. Ltd.

US Army Corps of Engineers announces that the Coyote Island Terminal development at Port of Morrow will be subject to an Environmental Assessment.