ExxonMobil, Mosaic Eye New CCS Tech
US major ExxonMobil and Mosaic Materials have agreed to explore new technology for removing carbon dioxide from emissions sources, they said August 26.
Mosaic Materials has progressed research on a unique process that uses porous solids, known as metal-organic frameworks, to separate carbon dioxide from air or flue gas. The agreement with ExxonMobil will enable further discussion between the two companies to evaluate opportunities for industrial-scale use of the technology.
“New technologies in carbon capture will be critical enablers for us to meet growing energy demands, while reducing emissions,” said ExxonMobil.
“Our agreement with Mosaic expands our carbon capture technology research portfolio, which is evaluating multiple pathways – including evaluation of carbonate fuel cells and direct air capture – to reduce costs and enable large-scale deployment. Adding Mosaic’s approach will allow us to build on their work to evaluate the potential for this technology to have a meaningful impact in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.”
“Through this agreement with ExxonMobil, we look to accelerate the pace of our development and demonstrate the business and environmental benefits that our technology can offer,” said Mosaic Materials. “Our proprietary technology allows us to separate carbon dioxide from nearly any gas mixture using moderate temperature and pressure changes, substantially increasing energy efficiency and decreasing costs.”
ExxonMobil is also planning to spend up to $10mn/yr for ten years researching and developing advanced lower-emissions technologies with the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and National Energy Technology Laboratory.
With a working interest in about a fifth of the world’s total CCS capacity, ExxonMobil has been able to capture about 7mn mt/yr of carbon dioxide and has cumulatively captured more of it than any other company since 1970. Its latest such project is Gorgon LNG (25%), where the Australian government has made CCS a requirement.
Typically, CCS plants use a heated liquid to absorb the waste CO2 from combustion and release it for sequestration at another part of the site before being piped back to restart the cycle. This is an energy-intensive process.