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Evolving the Adsorbent Approach to Carbon Capture
Innovative system integrates with Cat® G3600 engines to provide an economical solution.
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Sustainability
About
Major energy companies such as ExxonMobil1 and Chevron2 are investing in emissions-reduction technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and significantly decrease heavy industry discharges. CCS is a technological method that can help curb CO2 emissions, the largest component of GHG emissions at oil and gas jobsites. First tested in West Texas for enhanced oilfield recovery (EOR) in the 1970s, CCS is a proven approach to separate, collect and geologically store CO2 emissions underground. Depending upon an oilfield company’s application, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) may be appropriate if the captured CO2 is utilized in some manner during the process – which occurs with EOR.
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According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), carbon capture technology remains one of the best options available capable of delivering the GHG emission reductions needed across key industrial processes3. However, many operators in the United States are challenged to find an economical solution to apply carbon capture for sequestration or utilization.
Regulatory Considerations for Gas Compression Operator
For North American gas compression operations, carbon capture advances can help operators decrease carbon tax exposure as well as reap tax credit incentives as applicable based upon a site’s location and unique operations.
In Canada, carbon markets are regulated according to province and industry and carry a financial impact for oil and gas operations. The country’s federal carbon tax, known as the GHG Tax4, is set to increase to $95 CDN/tonne in April 2025. However, as British Columbia and Alberta use output-based systems for oil and gas operators, only a portion of emissions from operations in these regions are assessed.
In contrast, carbon emissions are not currently regulated in the United States. Rather, incentives are available in the form of federal 45Q tax credits that vary from $60-$85 USD/tonne based upon site application5. Operators can capitalize on the credits if carbon capture projects successfully demonstrate secure, long-term storage of captured CO2. Such storage could rely on oil-producing reservoirs used for EOR or dedicated sequestration pore space in depleted oil or gas fields – or saline aquifers.
Finding a cost-effective carbon capture solution at scale that supports existing sites with unique requirements can be daunting. Recognizing the challenge of satisfying regulation requirements while preserving profitability, Caterpillar Oil & Gas has refined a carbon capture approach that’s projected to generate a carbon capture cost below $40/tonne at a rate up to 95%6.
A Carbon Capture Solution Suited to the Oilfield
The primary carbon capture methodologies available today are absorbent, membrane, cryogenic and adsorbent. Through innovative research and development, Caterpillar Oil & Gas developed a field-proven carbon capture approach using the adsorbent method. The carbon capture process, developed for both Solar Turbines gas turbine engines and Cat® gas reciprocating engines, addresses the nuances of gas compression operations.
The unique adsorbent method replaces traditional solvents with long-life solid sorbents. This eliminates the need for continuous solvent make-up and reduces health, safety and environmental concerns. Additionally, the capture plants can operate without on-site supervision which supports lower operating costs.
However, assumptions about utilizing a traditional mole sieve adsorbent system – such as a high pressure drop that can lead to high electrical consumption and costs and degraded product purity in a single-stage process – compelled additional investigation. With this in mind, the Caterpillar Carbon Capture Solutions team identified and implemented a low-maintenance solution that resulted in a simple, field-tested method well-suited for the oilfield. The resulting carbon capture adsorbent system continues to be optimized for scalable efficiencies.
Pilot Program Leads to Field-Proven Results
Caterpillar's proprietary adsorbent method, known as CO2-TSA, was piloted at a gas compression site in North Texas. Coupled to a G3606 engine rated at 1,875 hp, the system ran for more than 1,000 hours and captured up to 20 tonnes/day (TPD).
The system featured a three-bed temperature swing adsorption (TSA) approach, with each bed used sequentially for adsorption, regeneration and cooling. Engine exhaust was first cooled with CO2 captured at a low temperature, and the exhaust heat was repurposed to regenerate the captured CO2 at a high temperature in a separate concentrated stream7. The traditional challenges of a high energy requirement and low CO2 purity were solved using waste exhaust heat for the regeneration energy and recirculated CO2 as the heat transfer medium to ensure high purity.
Continual Design Improvements for Future Installations
The Caterpillar Carbon Capture Solutions team has continued to build on the lessons learned from the North Texas pilot, with an improved proprietary vessel design that significantly reduces pressure drop and energy consumption. Additionally, the development of a more efficient water removal process and improved cooling increased adsorption capacity, enabling up to 250 TPD to be accommodated in a single train8. The refined system is modular and scalable for gas processing sites from 5,000-50,000 hp.
With U.S. operators motivated to meet the goal of $85/tonne for total carbon capture, transport and sequestration cost, this volume makes carbon capture an economical — and increasingly attractive — option when considering the projected results of achieving carbon capture below $40 USD/tonne, capturing more than 100 TPD at a 95% capture rate.9
As gas compression operators strive to navigate the energy transition while supporting customers’ climate-related objectives, cost-effective carbon capture solutions like Caterpillar Oil & Gas’ CO2-TSA system can be efficiently integrated with existing assets to reduce CapEx and OpEx. This low-maintenance approach is a simple and scalable option that helps achieve a lower total cost of ownership while contributing to reduced GHG emissions in today’s gas compression operations.
1 Exxonmobil.com. Climate Solutions: Carbon Capture and Storage. https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/what-we-do/delivering-industrial-solutions/carbon-capture-and-storage.
2 Chevron.com. Carbon Capture Helps Make a Lower Carbon Future Possible. https://www.chevron.com/what-we-do/technology-and-innovation/capturing-and-storing-carbon-emissions.
3 IEA.org. 20 Years of Carbon Capture and Storage. https://www.iea.org/reports/20-years-of-carbon-capture-and-storage.
4 Government of Canada. Greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions projections – 2023. Greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions projections – 2023 - Canada.ca
5 Carbon Capture Coalition. Primer: 45Q Tax Credit for Carbon Capture Projects. 45Q-primer-Carbon-Capture-Coalition.pdf
6 Total skidded cost. Data generated from a North Texas site, excluding significant foundation, piling or electrical work.
7 Integration of exhaust heat removes significant operational cost compared to traditional technologies that need significant heat (electrical, heat).
8 Implementing the dehydration and cooling processes enabled the volume to increase to 100 TPD, and eventually 250 TPD successfully.
9 These projections are based on Caterpillar Oil & Gas pilot site testing and assume that the operator will apply this adsorbent method to achieve the expected results.
