MAJOR TEST FOR ENVIDITY’S USD 1 BILLION SHIVEE OVOO COAL GASIFICATION AND GAS TO LIQUIDS (“UGC/GTL”) PROJECT
Despite significant progress over the past year, the finalization of USD 1 billion Shivee Ovoo Coal Gasification and Gas to Liquids (“UGC/GTL”) project that is expected to create approximately 3,000 construction and 150 permanent higher salaried jobs, reduce fuel dependency and prices, introduce patented technology, and raise millions of dollars in royalty and tax revenue for Mongolia has stalled. “We call upon our Mongolian partners and the Mongolian Government to honor their commitments and representations to move this project forward” said Envidity’s Chairman, retired General Wesley Clark.
“The license holder Live Energy Group LLC/Shine Shivee LLC has so far been acting in a bizarre manner toward the execution of a definitive agreement to carry the project forward since it was presented for execution over six weeks ago” said Envidity CEO Jeff Brookman. According to a legally-binding agreement entered into by Live Energy Group’s Executive Director last year, Live Energy Group and its subsidiary company Shine Shivee LLC, license holder in the Shivee Ovoo field, were obligated to sign a definitive agreement enabling initiation of the seismic and drilling on the property. Although Envidity has fully met its commitments regarding funding, technology and timing, the Executive Director of Live Energy Group LLC/Shine Shivee LLC and a group of Chinese and Malay speculators have refused to execute the definitive agreement that has been agreed, effectively blocking the Envidity Project from launch.
“One of the key reasons that we chose Mongolia to carry out the project despite significant offers elsewhere was the specific request of Prime Minister Batbold to bring cutting edge value adding technology to Mongolia” said General Clark. Envidity’s project was specifically encouraged because of its potential to profoundly impact the Mongolian people by offering an abundance of low cost, ultra clean, Mongolian made liquid fuels and electricity produced through green patented western technology; not to mention the potential for jobs and billions of dollars to be generated into the Mongolian economy through the production of chemical feedstocks.
“One would expect the Government, who helped induce this Project, to act decisively and protect this strategic Project’s licenses from potentially illegal and short sighted acts that appear to be becoming endemic in Mongolia and have occurred on the eve of the Project’s launch,” continued General Clark. “If the Mongolian Government fails to address these actions by license holders seeking to block the Envidity Project’s many positive benefits to Mongolia, it will send a clear message that sophisticated international mining investors must think very carefully before investing the substantial time, financing and other resources to develop a project in the Mongolian mineral sector. I call on Prime Minister Batbold to intervene to protect the integrity of the Project and the exploration licenses held by Live Energy Group LLC and Shine Shivee LLC to allow this critically important Project to move forward. Firm action by the Government is needed to protect investor confidence in Mongolia,” said Clark.
According to CEO, Jeff Brookman, “what’s being discovered so far is that the Executive Director and other Mongolian shareholders of Shine Shivee LLC have apparently profited from the sale of some of their ownership stake in Shine Shivee LLC to Chinese and Malaysian speculators who may not have been fully informed of the legal commitment to Envidity. Post sale, the Mongolian Executive Director appears to be working with the Chinese and Malaysian speculators to maximize their interests at the expense of UCG development for the Mongolian people.” Mr. Brookman explained that despite multiple promises to execute the definitive agreement over the summer, Live Energy Group LLC and Shine Shivee LLC’s Executive Director has thus far failed to do so, in clear violation of his company’s legal obligations.
“We are certainly hoping that this is not a bait-and-switch by the Government and the local partner” interjected Mr. Brookman. “Like other investors, we have always taken the Mongolian Government at their word at investment conferences, trade shows and in meetings designed to encourage business in Mongolia. They have assured all of us that Mongolia is open and ready for business.” Minister Zorigt has been presented with a draft agreement to reconfirm the Government’s commitment toward the Project and his response is expected this month.
“I regret that our UCG/GTL project has been delayed despite a year’s work with the Mongolian government agencies, investors, fuel offtake buyers, and all other necessary preparations for project launch. Repeated promises by our Mongolian partners to fulfill their legal obligations have not been kept” said retired General Wesley Clark, Chairman of Envidity. “Everybody could still win with this project – especially the Mongolian people, but the opportunity is slipping away,” Clark said, “and could become a classic example to foreign investors of how difficult it is to launch projects so beneficial to Mongolia. The real losers will be the people of Mongolia, who would have to forgo quick access to virtually unlimited supplies of clean, lower cost fuel and continue their overwhelming dependence on their neighbors who like to decide what Mongolia can and cannot do.” This comes at a crucial time when Russia has recently increased its export tax.
“We have previously asked the Government of Mongolia to expedite the UCG Investment Agreement (fiscal stabilization agreement) for this project and take this opportunity to renew that request. We believe that Government leadership on this agreement is more important than ever” said Envidity CEO, Jeff Brookman. The Envidity UCG/GTL project is a good example of an important strategic development, which could benefit from greater transparency that was discussed recently in high-level talks between the governments of Canada, the United States and Mongolia.
Investors at the Discover Mongolia conference in Ulaanbaatar and Mongolia Investment Summits in Hong Kong, London, New York and Toronto need to be cognizant of the fact that one can have a binding agreement, secure the funds, dedicate substantial time, receive substantial encouragement from the Government and then the project becomes stalled because of insider manipulation of exploration license rights in clear breach of existing agreements.
Envidity has secured $120m of cash and access to an additional $850m in debt for a total of $1B in foreign direct investment into Mongolia over five years. With timely action by Envidity’s Mongolian partners and the Mongolian Government, Envidity’s UCG/GTL Project can still go forward.
“The license holder Live Energy Group LLC/Shine Shivee LLC has so far been acting in a bizarre manner toward the execution of a definitive agreement to carry the project forward since it was presented for execution over six weeks ago” said Envidity CEO Jeff Brookman. According to a legally-binding agreement entered into by Live Energy Group’s Executive Director last year, Live Energy Group and its subsidiary company Shine Shivee LLC, license holder in the Shivee Ovoo field, were obligated to sign a definitive agreement enabling initiation of the seismic and drilling on the property. Although Envidity has fully met its commitments regarding funding, technology and timing, the Executive Director of Live Energy Group LLC/Shine Shivee LLC and a group of Chinese and Malay speculators have refused to execute the definitive agreement that has been agreed, effectively blocking the Envidity Project from launch.
“One of the key reasons that we chose Mongolia to carry out the project despite significant offers elsewhere was the specific request of Prime Minister Batbold to bring cutting edge value adding technology to Mongolia” said General Clark. Envidity’s project was specifically encouraged because of its potential to profoundly impact the Mongolian people by offering an abundance of low cost, ultra clean, Mongolian made liquid fuels and electricity produced through green patented western technology; not to mention the potential for jobs and billions of dollars to be generated into the Mongolian economy through the production of chemical feedstocks.
“One would expect the Government, who helped induce this Project, to act decisively and protect this strategic Project’s licenses from potentially illegal and short sighted acts that appear to be becoming endemic in Mongolia and have occurred on the eve of the Project’s launch,” continued General Clark. “If the Mongolian Government fails to address these actions by license holders seeking to block the Envidity Project’s many positive benefits to Mongolia, it will send a clear message that sophisticated international mining investors must think very carefully before investing the substantial time, financing and other resources to develop a project in the Mongolian mineral sector. I call on Prime Minister Batbold to intervene to protect the integrity of the Project and the exploration licenses held by Live Energy Group LLC and Shine Shivee LLC to allow this critically important Project to move forward. Firm action by the Government is needed to protect investor confidence in Mongolia,” said Clark.
According to CEO, Jeff Brookman, “what’s being discovered so far is that the Executive Director and other Mongolian shareholders of Shine Shivee LLC have apparently profited from the sale of some of their ownership stake in Shine Shivee LLC to Chinese and Malaysian speculators who may not have been fully informed of the legal commitment to Envidity. Post sale, the Mongolian Executive Director appears to be working with the Chinese and Malaysian speculators to maximize their interests at the expense of UCG development for the Mongolian people.” Mr. Brookman explained that despite multiple promises to execute the definitive agreement over the summer, Live Energy Group LLC and Shine Shivee LLC’s Executive Director has thus far failed to do so, in clear violation of his company’s legal obligations.
“We are certainly hoping that this is not a bait-and-switch by the Government and the local partner” interjected Mr. Brookman. “Like other investors, we have always taken the Mongolian Government at their word at investment conferences, trade shows and in meetings designed to encourage business in Mongolia. They have assured all of us that Mongolia is open and ready for business.” Minister Zorigt has been presented with a draft agreement to reconfirm the Government’s commitment toward the Project and his response is expected this month.
“I regret that our UCG/GTL project has been delayed despite a year’s work with the Mongolian government agencies, investors, fuel offtake buyers, and all other necessary preparations for project launch. Repeated promises by our Mongolian partners to fulfill their legal obligations have not been kept” said retired General Wesley Clark, Chairman of Envidity. “Everybody could still win with this project – especially the Mongolian people, but the opportunity is slipping away,” Clark said, “and could become a classic example to foreign investors of how difficult it is to launch projects so beneficial to Mongolia. The real losers will be the people of Mongolia, who would have to forgo quick access to virtually unlimited supplies of clean, lower cost fuel and continue their overwhelming dependence on their neighbors who like to decide what Mongolia can and cannot do.” This comes at a crucial time when Russia has recently increased its export tax.
“We have previously asked the Government of Mongolia to expedite the UCG Investment Agreement (fiscal stabilization agreement) for this project and take this opportunity to renew that request. We believe that Government leadership on this agreement is more important than ever” said Envidity CEO, Jeff Brookman. The Envidity UCG/GTL project is a good example of an important strategic development, which could benefit from greater transparency that was discussed recently in high-level talks between the governments of Canada, the United States and Mongolia.
Investors at the Discover Mongolia conference in Ulaanbaatar and Mongolia Investment Summits in Hong Kong, London, New York and Toronto need to be cognizant of the fact that one can have a binding agreement, secure the funds, dedicate substantial time, receive substantial encouragement from the Government and then the project becomes stalled because of insider manipulation of exploration license rights in clear breach of existing agreements.
Envidity has secured $120m of cash and access to an additional $850m in debt for a total of $1B in foreign direct investment into Mongolia over five years. With timely action by Envidity’s Mongolian partners and the Mongolian Government, Envidity’s UCG/GTL Project can still go forward.
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