Inpex, Osaka Gas to work on carbon neutralisation of city gas
Japanese firms Inpex Corp and Osaka Gas will jointly launch a technical development business targeting the application of a CO2-methanation system toward the carbon neutralisation of city gas, they said on October 15.
This initiative is based on a subsidised project commissioned to Inpex by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation. The project is scheduled to be carried out at a newly built location connected to the Koshijihara plant at Inpex’s Nagaoka field office in Nagaoka City. Inpex and Osaka Gas will jointly take part in the business by entering an operating agreement.
Methanation is a method to produce methane, which is main component of city gas, by reacting CO2 with hydrogen through a catalyst. By manufacturing synthetic methane from green hydrogen produced with renewable energy and CO2, it is possible to realise the carbon neutralisation of city gas. Synthetic methane can use existing city gas infrastructure and facilities and be deployed to sectors where electrification is a challenge, the companies said.
The project is expected to be carried from the second half of fiscal year 2024 into fiscal year 2025. The synthetic methane is expected to be introduced into Inpex’s city gas pipeline network. The synthetic methane production capacity of the CO2 methanation facility is expected to reach approximately 400 m3/hour.
Since 2017, Inpex has been conducting basic technical development on CO2 methanation at its Nagaoka field office at a synthetic methane production capacity of 8 m3/hour.
Furthermore, along with the demonstration test at the Nagaoka field office, the companies will conduct CO2 methanation in countries where the production of renewables-derived green hydrogen can be carried out at low costs, such as Australia. They will also study the commercial evaluation of importing carbon-neutral methane to Japan.