Petrofac, Cranfield University jointly investigating new zero-emission tech

Oilfield services provider Petrofac has teamed up with Cranfield University to investigate new technology that could minimise the impact of amine scrubbing technology.

As disclosed, UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre (UKCCSRC) awarded funding for the initiative to the Cranfield team, led by Peter Clough.

Amine scrubbing is a widespread method of chemically capturing CO2 and concentrating it so it can be utilised or sequestered.

It is also poised to be widely deployed in the decarbonisation of industrial and power generation processes to meet global net-zero targets.

“A major challenge of amine scrubbing is amine slip, where some of the amines, used in separating CO2 from flue gases, form aerosols and are released from the top of the absorber tower into the atmosphere”, said Peter Clough, lecturer in Energy Engineering at Cranfield University.

“Our research will seek to demonstrate a brand-new concept for preventing the release of these fugitive amines emissions by harnessing the dipole moments and electronic configuration of the amines to capture the aerosols”.

With stringent emission limits for the release of amines being imposed on CO2 capture plants, meeting amine emission targets using existing technology seems to be challenging for individual plants.

The new technology is expected to minimise amine slip and be essential for the safe implementation of amine scrubbing across industry and enable the UK to decarbonise to meet its net-zero target.

Jonathan Carpenter, vice president of Petrofac’s New Energy Services, said: “We have decades of experience in gas processing, and are excited to deploy this expertise in support of this research project. The project reflects our commitment to solving the challenge of reducing emissions and unlocking the new technologies needed to reach net-zero targets”.

Meanwhile, Petrofac is already supporting projects that are unlocking the potential of new technology for tomorrow’s carbon capture, utilisation and storage developments, including the Acorn project in the North East of Scotland.