CO₂ Capture & Utilization: Harnessing the CO₂ Content in Natural Gas for Environmental and Economic Gains

CO₂ capture and utilization (CCU) is currently a global topical issue, and is viewed as one possible route to reduction of CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere. The core issues of development, economy and the environment which the world faces in current times are identified to be dependent on the provision of clean, efficient, affordable and reliable energy services. Presently the world is highly dependent on fossil fuels for provision of energy services, and the amount renewable energies can sufficiently replace is minimal. The deployment of appropriate CO₂ separation technologies for the processing of natural gas is viewed as an abatement measure towards global CO₂ emissions reduction. Selection of the optimum technology among the several separation technologies for a particular separation need requires special attention in order to harness the economic and environmental benefits. The captured CO₂ would also require appropriate disposal or utilisation so as to prevent or ‘delay’ its re-entry into the atmosphere. These challenges of CCU involving natural gas particularly during processing which has become an area of intense research shall be discussed in the paper with respect to the selected technique for CO₂ capture. A typical natural gas production scenario in Nigeria shall be analysed for potential CO₂ capture. Further discussion shall be on the identification of the recovered CO₂ gas utilisation framework such as CO₂ flooding (in Enhanced Oil Recovery) for additional revenue generation, assessment of the CO₂ savings and the contribution to the clean development mechanism (CDM).