ExxonMobil announced today it 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 ZoneTM technology, known as
CFZTM. CFZTM 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
(NYSE:XOM).
Using the CFZâ„¢ 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 CFZâ„¢ 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 CFZâ„¢ 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.
CFZâ„¢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 CFZâ„¢pilot plant.
ExxonMobil has more than 50 years of large-scale sour gas production
experience, which includes design and operation of the two largest
carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide injection projects in the world. The
company has developed industry-leading expertise in managing safety
reliability and technical challenges associated with highly sour oil and
gas developments.
ExxonMobil is a world leader in carbon management technologies and has
researched and developed carbon-handling technologies for more than 30
years. In addition to our in-house research programs, ExxonMobil
supports carbon capture and storage research at the International Energy
Agency´s Greenhouse Gas Research &
Development Program, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia
Tech, the University of Texas and Stanford University. The company
participates in the U.S. Department of Energy´s
Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership and is working with
the European Commission and other companies on the CO2ReMoVe project to
evaluate a range of carbon injection and storage technologies in Norway
Algeria and Germany.
The resulting technologies, including CFZâ„¢
could play an important role in future widespread use of carbon capture
and storage to significantly reduce the release of greenhouse gases into
the atmosphere.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: Plans and projections in this release are
forward-looking statements. Actual future results, including the impact
of new technologies, could differ materially due to factors including
changes in long-term oil or gas prices or other market conditions
affecting the oil and gas industries; changes in law or government
regulation; technical difficulties; future technological developments by
ExxonMobil or others; and other factors discussed under the heading
"Factors Affecting Future Results" in the "Investors" section of our website at www.exxonmobil.com.
