Brightmark and Chevron achieved first delivery of renewable natural gas produced at the Athena Project, part of their previously announced partnership to own project companies across the U.S. to produce and market RNG. (Source: Karen H. Black / Shutterstock.com)
Brightmark RNG Holdings delivered first gas at the Minnehaha, S.D.-based Athena Project, according to a press release on Aug. 3.
The project captures methane generated from manure from Boadwine Farms, Pioneer Dairy and Mooody Dairy farms in South Dakota to be cleaned and converted into a renewable natural gas (RNG) called dairy biomethane. The RNG will then be injected into the local interstate pipeline system, as well as be used for transportation, cooking or electricity.
Brightmark RNG Holdings is a joint venture partnership between Chevron U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Chevron Corp., and Brightmark Fund Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Brightmark LLC.
"Achieving first gas at the Athena Project marks another major milestone as Brightmark continues to scale and expand our RNG production footprint throughout the country," Brightmark founder and CEO Bob Powell commented in the release.
"Through our collaboration with Chevron and Lynn Boadwine, owner of Boadwine Farms, Pioneer Dairy and Mooody Dairy, we believe the Athena Project further demonstrates the transformative economic and environmental benefits of partnering with our country's essential farmers to reduce and offset lifecycle carbon emissions," he continued.
As the first ever dairy RNG project in South Dakota, the Athena Project is anticipated to produce approximately 55.6 million gallons of manure each year.
“These renewable natural gas projects are not only designed to capture methane that is currently emitted to the atmosphere and repurpose it as a valuable transportation fuel with lower lifecycle carbon intensity, but they also support our commitment to meeting our customers’ growing demand for lower carbon fuel solutions,” Chevron's president of Americas fuels and lubricants Andy Walz added.
Recommended Reading
Enbridge Keeps the Focus on NatGas Amid Market Uncertainty
2025-05-09 - Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel said the company remains committed to growing its natural gas network.
Kinder Morgan Sees Strong Gas Market, Despite Political Noise
2025-04-17 - Kinder Morgan is undeterred by “perceived ups and downs” in the natural gas market, said Executive Chairman Rich Kinder during the company’s first earnings call of 2025.
Diversified CEO: Gas Fervor Grows on LNG, Midstream Momentum
2025-05-21 - Diversified Energy manages more than 64,000 wells nationwide but drills none itself. But the company’s recent Cherokee JV and western Haynesville deals give exposure to emerging plays without drilling risks.
US NatGas Dominance Collides with Permitting, Tariffs, Layoffs
2025-03-16 - Executives at BP, Sempra Infrastructure and the American Petroleum Institute weighed in on U.S. natural gas prowess and the obstacles that could stand in the way: snagged permitting, prohibitive steel tariffs and layoffs of federal workers needed to approve projects.
Energy Transfer, MidOcean Agree to Jointly Develop Lake Charles LNG
2025-04-09 - Under a non-binding heads of agreement with Energy Transfer, MidOcean Energy would fund 30% of Lake Charles LNG's project costs and be entitled to 30% of production—contingent on a final investment decision, the companies said.
Comments
Add new comment
This conversation is moderated according to Hart Energy community rules. Please read the rules before joining the discussion. If you’re experiencing any technical problems, please contact our customer care team.