The hydrocarbon industry, from upstream through the value chain to refining and chemicals, is currently focused on strategies for decarbonizing its assets and products. There is a significant focus on the role of carbon capture in these strategies. Our studies have found that optimal strategies are typically not based on any single decarbonization methodology. Rather, it leverages several concepts, including carbon capture, to develop the desired corporate, environmental, and financial performance. This paper presents the role of carbon capture in corporate decarbonization strategies and how it is supported by other decarbonization methodologies.

A key part of Carbon Capture and sequestration is measuring and quantifying CO2. Measurement of the actual CO2 content is key at several points along the capture, transportation and sequestration process. Various analysis methods can be used for direct CO2 measurement, while pipeline requirements may include analysis of other contaminants. Federal requirements for the generation of carbon credits also requires accurate metering for reporting total mass of CO2, with requirements similar to custody transfer in other processes. Selecting the correct instrumentation can simplify the process for staying compliant. Join us as we discuss some of the requirements in CO2 capture and sequestration, and various measurement methods to meet these requirements.

Efficient Capture of Atmospheric Bio-Carbon using Enhanced Biomass to Liquids Process Expander Energy has developed a way to turn wood waste and other biomass into green, Net-Zero carbon emissions diesel fuel and at the same time capture and sequester Atmospherically derived Bio-Carbon at costs significantly lower than competing Direct Air Capture technologies. Expander’s new Enhanced Biomass-to-Liquids (“EBTL™”) process provides a clean, high pressure, high concentration CO2 stream which allows for capture and sequestration of 100% Bio-Carbon derived from the atmosphere with energy demand and capital costs an order of magnitude lower than competitive technologies. Expander’s new Enhanced Biomass-to-Liquids (“EBTL™”) shifts the paradigm for converting cellulosic biomass to Bio-SynDiesel™. This fuel complies with North America’s ASTM D975 and Europe’s CEN 15940 diesel specifications as “drop-in” or as fully fungible blend stock to meet current and future Low Carbon Fuel Standards (“LCFS”). Key properties are 100% renewable, high Cetane Number (>70), zero sulphur, high stability and biodegradability. The EBTL™ process comprises proven Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), Fischer Tropsch Synthesis (“FTS”) and Expander’s patented tar-free Biomass Gasifier plus a conventional gas scrubbing and compression to recover pure bio-carbon dioxide for sequestration. A small scale EBTL™ plant with a single gasifier produces 24,000 liters per day of Net-Zero Bio-SynDiesel™ and efficiently sequesters 50 tonnes of net bio-carbon dioxide per day. This compares to 12 tonnes per day of carbon dioxide removed by the recently completed Orca Direct-Air-Capture project in Iceland. Air Technic of Prague, Czechia developed the Biomass Gasification technology with European Union support to generate renewable, green power. Several of its gasifier units have run continuously producing tar-free syngas, receiving formal EU Certification. The current version of the gasifier technology is co-patented by Expander and Air Technic specifically for FT synthesis to Bio-SynDiesel™. The EBTL™ process achieves its low, negative Carbon Intensity by feeding only bio-carbon to the FTS reactor and SMR;utilizing low carbon intensity electrical power;and recovering and sequestering by-product bio-carbon dioxide. The sequestered bio-carbon dioxide substantially exceeds the fossil carbon emissions from the SMR flue gas ensuring a net negative Carbon Intensity. The Life Cycle Analysis calculating the negative (-44 gCO2e/MJ) Carbon Intensity conforms to ISO 14040 requirements using GHGenius 5.01G. Expander plans to construct its first EBTL™ facility in Slave Lake Alberta adjacent to the Vanderwell sawmill. This location offers the shortest timeline to commercial operation. Expander plans to start operation of its first EBTL™ facility in 2024 with production of Net-Zero CI Bio-SynDiesel fuel 26 years ahead of Canada’s Net-Zero Carbon emissions pledge. The Slave Lake EBTL™ facility will also sequester 20,000 tonnes per year of atmospherically derived Bio-Carbon starting in 2024.

Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is needed, to move forward with the green transition. However, some industries, such as cement, will have emissions regardless of the source of energy, and want to utilize carbon capture (CC) to combat this, but the initial cost and footprint is high, and it is challenging to deploy. By utilizing, Waste Heat to Power (WHP), a readily available solution that can decrease scope 2 emissions, facilities are able to support CC by cooling the exhaust temperatures that are needed for post-combustion CC. Kanin specializes in decarbonizing heavy industry, where these challenges exist. By supplying the heat and electricity through WHP, opex can be cut in half making projects more economically viable.

Carbon capture and storage (CSS) technologies can be broken down into 3 major categories: 1) Pre-combustion capture: CO2 is captured before the combustion process by means of reforming and gasification, the product is called syngas, which is a mixture of essentially H2 and CO. 2) Oxy-Fuel Combustion: the combustion is conducted with pure oxygen instead of air. The final product is an exhaust gas highly concentrated in CO2. 3) Post-combustion Capture: CO2 is captured from the exhaust gas generated from the combustion of fuel. Different separation alternatives are available such as adsorption, physical absorption, cryogenic separation, membrane absorption, or algal systems. Among them, chemical absorption such as Amine Package is the most mature and promising technology for industrial development. InnoTech Alberta is the owner and operator of a pioneering clean technology center (Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre). Innotech Alberta purchased commercial Amine-based reactive absorption in absorber/stripper loop for post-combustion CO2 capture plant located at Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre with a capacity of 6 metric tonnes of CO2 per day. A model has been developed and validated against the historical data of the plant. The model investigated for the same plant is connected to different processes with CO2 concentration to identify the capture efficiency and reboiler heat duties. The model can be used to screen the different solvents and blending studies also. Model parameters such as temperatures and CO2 capture rates are validated with the operational data. The model predicts a ~250 Kg/h of CO2 for a flow rate of 3600 m3/h flue gas from the Shepard Energy Center.