Can Exxon freeze the CO2 out of gas?
Exxon announced this week that it's developed an experimental process to affordably remove CO2 and hydrogen sulfide from natural gas. The plans include a $100M test facility, to be built this summer in LaBarge, Wyoming, where the petroleum giant will test out it's "Controlled Freeze Zone" technology -- attempting to freeze and remove many of the greenhouse components from natural gas. If the freezing process turns out to be a winner, Exxon will be able to produce cleaner burning fuel while also making it cheaper to process "sour gas" -- that's gas containing high levels of hydrogen sulfide. The leftover CO2 could be used in oilfield recovery projects, or stored underground -- a pretty controversial idea in itself. Do you think it's crazy to keep working on ways to make fossil fuels cleaner, like freezing gas or clean coal? Or, should these oil companies be spending their money on a more sustainable technology?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-08-2008 @ 7:44PM
Rick said...
There's no money in substainable fuels for energy companies who are brokers essentially. They will just look for new fuels to sell and right now it's about clean fuels for them. Not sure what they'll be doing next year, or the year after if oil keeps exploding like it's current 8 year trend.
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5-08-2008 @ 8:02PM
Randy said...
Not to sound like a heretic, but I don't think we should be asking the oil companies to spend their money on sustainable technology. It's fine if they want to do that. However, asking horse breeders to invent the car, train manufacturers to invent the airplane or television manufacturers to invent the computer is a total waste of competence. Moreover, how do you most effectively motivate a company to spend their profits to hasten their demise? I understand well the economic concept of creative destruction, but the infrastructure needed to replace the current carbon based energy system is incredibly large and can only be done with the profits created by the system replacing it. It will just take time.
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5-10-2008 @ 8:44PM
Redlands said...
"Or, should these oil companies be spending their money on a more sustainable technology?"
Don't know, but offhand I'd say it's Exxon's decision to make.
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