R&D on High Efficiency CO2 Separation Processes for Enhanced Oil Recovery at University of Regina
Authors: Tontiwachwuthikul Paitoon , Chakma Amit 
Published: March 2010

Introduction

In order to sustain the current production capacity of crude oil in Western Ganada, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques such as utilizing carbon dioxide (CO2) must be used. According to Saskatchewan Department of Energy and Mines, a large amount of crude oil worth multi-billion of dollars can be recovered using these techniques. At, the same time, a large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) is, being produced by industrial plants in the region. This, tremendous quantity of carbon dioxide is discharged into the atmosphere and could be causing an enhanced greenhouse effect nd global warming. To overcome the CO2 emission problem, here is great interest to capture the carbon dioxide and utilize it as a flooding agent for EOR processes. The concept of recovering O2 and utilizing it as an EOR flooding agent or chemical feedstock will provide two important benefits. First, we can market the captured O2 as a commodity chemical which would generate revenue. Second, we will be able to reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and help alleviate a serious environmental problem, at minimum cost.

The ultimate goal of this research and development program is to develop better and more effective CO2 separation processes which can be used to recover CO2 from industrial sources such as fossil fuel fired power stations, coal gasification plants and hydrogen production units for EOR applications at the lowest possible apital and operating costs.

Research Facilities and Personnel

We have initiated a research program on high efficiency separation process technologies for carbon dioxide removal from industrial sources at the Process Systems Laboratory, University of Regina since 1991. We have acquired and built a number of pieces of research apparatus, equipment and pilot plants over the past five years. These include three pilot plant units for testing high efficiency gas treating systems which consists of different sizes of absorption and regeneration towers packed with a variety of high performance packings. The pilot plants are also equipped with microprocessor-based infrared gas analysers, state-of-the-art gas chromatograph units and a high speed digital data logging system. We are in the process of acquiring an ion chromatographysystem and a GC/MS mass detector for comprehensive analysis of solvent compositions and their activities. In addition, a number of embrane reactors have been constructed which can be used as very high capacity absorbers, as well numerous pieces of research apparatus have been built for solvent absorption capacity testing, corrosion studies and gas/liquid diffusivity determination.

In terms of computer applications, our laboratory now is well equipped with and has access to high performance computing facilities. including three high speed Pentium work-stations (each has 64 MB memory and 2.5 GB Hard Drive), a number of 486 PCs, a Silicon Graphics work station (32 MB memory. 1 GB Hard ive) and a very large Silicon Graphics Server (12 of 150 Mhz processor, 1 GB memory, 22 GB Hard Drive). These computing facilities are also equipped with state-of-the-art real time intelligent systems development tools such as G2, GDA, NeurOn-Line, COMDALEIX and COMDALE/C, as well as advanced computeraided process engineering simulators including ASPEN.