Williams BioEnergy will sell 100 mmgy Pekin wet-mill

Williams' corporate offices in Tulsa, Okla., announced the sale of its Pekin, Ill. ethanol plant early this month, which produces ethanol for fuel and beverages and brewers yeast, as well as other corn coproducts.

Williams also announced it will sell its Memphis and Alaska refineries and other related petroleum assets. It is estimated the businesses will be sold by the end of this year for more than $1 billion.

Through its marketing alliances with producers and its own production facilities, Williams is the second largest ethanol producer in the U.S., distantly behind Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). However, ethanol production still represents a small portion of Williams' overall energy business and is not considered one of the firm's core business areas.

A spokesperson for Williams recently said the company would like to close a deal on the Pekin plant by the end of the year.