A Current Engineering Topic and Related Technology

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Erin Smith ([email protected])

MAKING THE MOST OF OUR CARBON plan for the excess CO2 being produced to save our environment.

Carbon dioxide, CO2, is produced by the burning of This is where the engineers and environmentalists are fossil fuels, which occurs at coal powered plants. needed. Many experts in environmental and chemical fields, Environmentalists have been developing alternative energy such as MIT, have already begun to act. In June 2000 MIT means such as wind and solar power. However, according to began their Carbon Sequestration Initiative. These engineers the National Academy of Engineering, we are still powering studied the methods used around the world to contain and 85% of our country by coal and thereby releasing large reuse carbon dioxide. This program ended in June of 2016 amounts of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere [1]. To even though there is still no formal solution [3]. Until the address this issue engineers are creating methods to capture problem is resolved engineers are faced with finding natural carbon and reuse it to recover oil. Acta Geotechnica defines processes or creating new technology that will economically carbon capturing and sequestration (CCS) as the process of and safely attack our carbon dioxide dilemma. removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it for further The global increase in carbon dioxide production is use. A technology used in carbon capturing is enhanced oil significant to me because what happens to the Earth now is recovery (EOR), the pumping of carbon dioxide into oil what I must live with years from now, and my children and fields to increase the hydrocarbon production and harvest grandchildren will have to live with years after that. This is more oil [2]. Scientists have put this technology into action the only Earth we have and I believe it is our responsibility in Texas at the Petra Nova power plant [3]. The technology to take care of it. As an aspiring chemical engineer, the there is new, but it shows high hopes for improving our possibilities of creating a system to resolve the world’s atmosphere. I believe it is important that we take care of our excess carbon dioxide problem is intriguing because my environment now and for years to come. work would impact the global community. A possible proposal by the scientific community to resolve our carbon dioxide surplus include carbon capture and sequestration TOO MUCH CO2 (CCS) [1].

The threat of global warming has long been on the minds of our society. Carbon dioxide has a heat trapping CARBON CAPTURE capability, that if allowed to continue can have catastrophic effects on our environment. According to the National Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is the process Academy for Engineering, before the growth of in which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere manufacturing industries in the early 1800’s our atmosphere and stored in the solid or liquid form. As of 2013, the Global contained 280 molecules per million of CO , but today it Carbon Capture and Sequestration Institute listed 74 CCS 2 projects worldwide. Only a few of these are operational, but contains almost 380 molecules per million of CO2 [1]. The more excess carbon dioxide we produce, the higher the many others are set to function by the end of 2018 [2]. The atmospheric temperatures will rise. CCS projects aim to remove carbon dioxide gas from the Global warming is just that, a global issue. All atmosphere to decrease global warming. There are two countries have a carbon footprint, some larger than others. forms of carbon capture: CCS, the capturing and storage of Social Epistemology lists the United States as the largest CO2 within the Earth, and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), the reuse of CO2 then storage of the producer of CO2, which comes from the burning of fossil fuels. Renewable energies are on the rise but there still is a remaining [2]. need for fossil fuels – such as coal – the largest carbon A method of CCS is storing carbon dioxide in saline dioxide producer [1]. Coal is essential to our industries, yet aquifers within the ocean. Engineers would capture the CO2 is killing the environment simultaneously. Looking towards from coal powered plants and transport it to the saline. The the future, society will need to come up with an alternative carbon dioxide is then injected into the aquifer for permanent storage [1]. A downfall to this method is the University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1 11.01.2016 Erin Smith specificity of the saline aquifers. If the aquifer is not large the levels of carbon dioxide we are putting in our enough, porous enough, deep enough, or sealed correctly the environment, decreasing the harmful effects of global carbon dioxide could spill back out into the ocean [2]. There warming [2]. I acknowledge the concerns of the public with are also no positive gains other than the removal of carbon potential CO2 leaks during EOR, but as of now we are dioxide from this method. releasing all the excess CO2 from burning fossil fuels into our atmosphere. Even if CCUS experts can find a way to ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY reuse just a portion of the excess carbon dioxide for EOR that would improve our atmosphere’s current state and A carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) provide us with better oil retrieval methods. method such as enhanced oil recovery (EOR) provide PETRA NOVA PROJECT benefits beyond the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In this method, the captured CO2 is pumped into One of the 74 CCS/CCUS projects recognized oil fields to increase the hydrocarbon recovery. Harrison and worldwide by the National Energy Technology Laboratory Falcone at Acta Geotechnica remark that since the cost of (NETL) is the Petra Nova Parish Holdings in Thompsons, carbon is already very low some investors have stepped back Texas, which focuses on CO2-EOR [5]. The project is a joint from investing in CCS and CCUS projects [2]. However, in venture between NRG Energy and JX Nippon, begun in Social Epistemology, other industry commentators say that 2010 and estimated by Power Engineering to cost one billion EOR is the only practical application for the captured carbon dollars. The construction of the project is underway and the dioxide already at hand [4]. plant is expected to run by the end of 2016 [6]. NETL As mentioned before, the United States produces the ranked Parish, a 2.4 MW coal-fired power plant, as the most excess CO2 so it is more feasible to implant EOR in the United States’ worst carbon dioxide polluter [5]. If the EOR US. The US controls 90% of the world’s Co2-EOR oil system can handle Parish, it can be applied to other plants as productions [2]. Expanding EOR would encourage positive well. The project is designed to capture 90% of the carbon global communication between countries who produce lots dioxide emitted, estimated at 1.6 million tons each year [6]. of CO2 and countries who need it. For example, the North Since Parish is the worst carbon dioxide polluter, this will be Sea region has expressed an interest in EOR as well. In this the largest post-combustion capture from a coal-powered region, one plant could not produce enough CO2 for an plant [5]. entire oil field [2]. The method would require collaboration The CO2 will be transported through 82 miles of between multiple power plants and possibly multiple pipeline to an offshore oil reserve at West Ranch Oil Field countries. Engineers are researching building infrastructures [3]. The carbon dioxide will remain sequestered in the to transport CO2 across borders, although is it not as ground for EOR. According to MIT, West Ranch has a economical of a plan yet to get funding [2]. I believe this current production rate of 500 barrels of oil per day. West cross-border communication would greatly benefit global Ranch expects the implementation of CO2-EOR to boost relations within the engineering community and could lead production to 15,000 barrels per day, a triple fold production to future global scale innovations. increase [3]. At West Ranch alone, there is an estimated 60

The International Energy Agency and other CCS million barrels of oil capable recovery through CO2-EOR proponents believe that CCS and CCUS have an important [5]. role to play in energy advances [4]. The use of CO2-EOR A triple fold is gas production is a good thing for all benefits both energy and gas and oil fields. However, countries. As oil production goes up the cost goes down. according to a worldwide survey in Social Epistemology Harvesting more gas and oil will lower the cost of making many citizens had no knowledge at all of this technology or consumer goods as well. The implementation of CO2-EOR the severity of the carbon dioxide problem at hand. The provides an economical and environmental advantage to our public all shared a similar concern for the dangers of CO2 society. escaping during transport or storage and contaminating air As engineers look at the use carbon dioxide capture and water systems in the process. Scientists in the CCS and, more specifically, enhanced oil recovery they must community have considered these factors but still see a great evaluate the cost and benefits to our safety and environment. potential in CCS as an energy advancement [4]. If achieved Engineers could come up with thousands of ideas for ways

CO2-EOR would be an alternative innovation to wind and to improve our world, but unless they can be executed they solar power in society’s attempts to resolve the energy crisis. do not mean much. The engineering used in CO2-EOR is an I see the value of the CCS and CCUS methods like example of the kind of technology they could execute to CO2-EOR in my life when I look long term. Fossil fuels are address our world’s carbon dioxide problems. The a crucial part of our energy system that I do not foresee technology is still being tested so there is a long road ahead becoming extinguished by new technologies like wind or for the environmental and chemical engineers working on solar power. These are great new energy methods, but they Petra Nova and other projects like it, but the path is bright. do not control the current CO2 problem. EOR will decrease

2 Erin Smith

NETL predicts that the Petra Nova project, which is http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/9077.aspx already underway, is expected to last into 2019 [5]. With all [2] B. Harrison, G. Falcone. “Carbon Capture and the other carbon capture projects that are just beginning I am sequestration versus carbon capture utilization and storage sure this topic will still be getting addressed upon my for enhanced oil recovery.” Acta Geotechnica. Vol. 9, No. 1. graduation and for years after. Much damage has already 02.2014. p. 29-38 been done to our atmosphere, but everything we do to [3] “Petra Nova W.A. Parish Fact Sheet: Carbon Dioxide protect it now will be of great value later. I look forward to Capture and Storage Project.” MIT. 09.30.2016 Accessed making my contribution to reduce our world’s global 10.24.2016. warming crisis. http://sequestration.mit.edu/tools/projects/wa_parish.html [4] A. Dowd, M. James. “A Social License for Carbon FROM THE PRESENT TO THE FUTURE Dioxide Capture and Storage: How Engineers and Managers Describe Community Relations” Social Epistemology. Carbon capture is just the starting point in our war on 07.31.2014. Accessed 10.24.2016. global warming. As we add more and more carbon dioxide http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02691728.2014.922639 into our atmosphere we also continue to develop alternative [5] “Recovery Act: Petra Nova Parish Holdings: W.A. energy means. As engineers learn more about the process of Parish Post-Combustion CO2 Capture and Sequestration carbon capture and sequestration our methods of reuse grow Project.” National Energy Technology Laboratory. 2015. as well. More coal burning power plants like Petra Nova will Accessed 20.24.2016. be used for EOR by the end of 2016. I see a bright future in https://www.netl.doe.gov/research/coal/project-

CO2 capture and EOR as means to address the carbon information/fe0003311 dioxide problem. I look forward to pursuing my career as a [6] “Industry News.” Power Engineering. Vol. 118, No. 8. chemical engineer and digging further into the ways that we 08.2014. p. 4-6 can reduce our carbon footprint and improve our atmosphere for the years to come. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

SOURCES I would like to thank the University of Pittsburgh Writing Center instructors, Barbra Edelman, Beth Bateman [1] “Develop Carbon Sequestration Methods.” National Newborg, and Grace Cooper for their advice. Academy of Engineering. 2016. Accessed 10.24.16