Technology to remove carbon dioxide from natural gas
Posted: 6 May 2008
ExxonMobil is committing more than $100 million to complete development and testing of an improved natural gas treating technology which could make carbon capture and storage more affordable and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The company plans to build a commercial demonstration plant near LaBarge, Wyoming, where it will use ExxonMobil’s Controlled Freeze ZonTM technology, known as CFZ. CFZ is a single-step cryogenic separation process that freezes out and then melts the carbon dioxide and removes other components including hydrogen sulfide, which is found in so-called sour gas. If successful, the process will reduce the cost of carbon dioxide removal from produced natural gas.
"This technology will assist in the development of additional gas resources to meet the world’s growing demand for energy and facilitate the application of carbon capture and storage, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Mark Albers, senior vice president of Exxon Mobil Corporation.
Using the CFZ process, the carbon dioxide and other components are discharged as a high-pressure liquid stream for injection into underground storage or for use in reservoir management to enhance oil recovery. Besides reducing the cost of separation, transportation and reinjection, the CFZ process can eliminate the use of solvents, sulfur plants and carbon dioxide venting in processing of the natural gas.
The new demonstration plant will advance the CFZ technology to commercial application, and be located at ExxonMobil’s Shute Creek Treating Facility. It will process about 14 million cubic feet of gas per day for injection and test a wide range of gas compositions to evaluate the extent of its applicability to the world’s undeveloped gas resources.
Construction will commence this summer for operational startup in late 2009. Testing is expected to occur over one to two years. The detailed engineering, procurement, and construction management will be provided by URS Washington Division.
CFZ was developed by ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company and has undergone significant improvements since the 1980s, when, in an industry first, it proved the concept of freezing carbon dioxide in natural gas separation with a CFZ pilot plant.
Posted by Richard Price, Editor EnergyME.com
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