Brazilian state energy company Petrobras is joining forces with Japanese chemical manufacturer Kureha to develop carbon capture at offshore oil rigs.
Both sides hope to create a new way to capture the greenhouse gas (GHG) and use it to make different valuable products, such as batteries and automotive parts.
Kureha is set to start making a new catalyst already this year at its research facility in Japan, together with partner Kitami Institute of Technology.
And next year, the company plans to be able to demonstrate a small-scale prototype of the device, which can later be tested at an oil rig operated by Petrobras off the coast of Brazil.
Thus, Kureha intends to make its technology commercially available in the years leading up to 2030, which is in line with the company’s strategy of achieving net zero emissions by mid-century.
If trials are successful, the Brazilian oil and gas giant will likely use Kureha’s solution to reduce CO2 emissions from its operations.
The appeal of this novel approach lies largely in the fact that it is an example of carbon capture and utilization (CCU), which not only does away with the task of permanently storing away the captured emissions, but also results in useful products.
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Namely, by separating carbon from the natural gas, which is a typical byproduct at oil rigs, it can be turned into a powder and easily transported to different facilities for further use.
The powdered carbon can then be used to manufacture carbon nanotubes, which are used in various electronic devices, batteries and even car parts.
Kureha’s process will involve first extracting methane from the natural gas emitted at the offshore oil rigs – a gas much more potent than CO2 in its planet-warming capabilities.
Subsequently, the company’s new catalyst comes into play to break down the methane in hydrogen and carbon.
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