Malcolm Wilson

A life cycle assessment study of a Canadian post-combustion carbon dioxide capture process system

PurposeWhile carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) has been widely recognized as a useful technology for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, it is necessary to evaluate the environmental performance of CCS from a full life cycle perspective to comprehensively understand its environmental impacts. The primary research objective is to conduct a study on life cycle assessment of the post-combustion carbon dioxide capture process based on data from SaskPower’s electricity generation station at the Boundary Dam in Saskatchewan, Canada. A secondary objective of this study is to identify the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methodology which is most suitable for the assessment of carbon dioxide capture technology integrated with the power generation system in the Canadian context.MethodsThe study takes a comparative approach by including three scenarios of carbon dioxide capture at the electricity generation station: no carbon dioxide capture (“no capture”), partial capture (“retrofit”), and fully integrated carbon dioxide capture of the entire facility (“capture”). The four LCIA methods of EDIP 97, CML2001, IMPACT2002+, and TRACI are used to convert existing inventory data into environmental impacts. The LCIA results from the four methods are compared and interpreted based on midpoint categories.Results and discussionThe LCA results showed an increase in the retrofit and capture scenarios compared to the no capture scenario in the impact categories of eutrophication air, ecotoxicity water, ecotoxicity ground surface soil, eutrophication water, human health cancer ground surface soil, human health cancer water, human health noncancer ground surface soil, ozone depletion air, human health noncancer water, and ionizing radiation. The reductions were observed in the retrofit and capture scenarios in the impact categories of acidification, human health criteria air-point source, human health noncancer air, ecotoxicity air, global warming, human health cancer air, and respiratory effects.ConclusionsAlthough the four LCIA methodologies significantly differ in terms of reference substances used for individual impact categories, all (TRACI, IMPACT2002+, CML2001, and EDIP 97) showed similar results in all impact categories.

New feasibility study of carbon dioxide production from coal-fired power plants for enhanced oil recovery: A Canadian perspective

The concept of capturing carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants and utilizing it as a flooding agent for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes is currently drawing much interest from oil, utility and coal companies in Western Canada. Implementation of such a scheme would provide two important benefits : (i) the captured CO 2 could be marketed as a flooding agent which would generate revenues, and (ii) CO 2 emissions to the atmosphere would be reduced. Since CO 2 emissions are considered to be the main contributor to the possible serious environmental problem of global warming, the proposed scheme could become an important instrument to reduce such emissions at minimal incremental cost to the environment. This paper demonstrates how cogeneration concepts, together with process optimization strategies, help to reduce the CO 2 production cost by utilizing low-pressure steam and waste heat from various sections of the power generation process. Based on these concepts and strategies, results from this study show that the recovery cost of CO 2 from a coal-fired power plant can range between

Carbon dioxide production from coal-fired power plants for enhanced oil recovery: A feasibility study in Western Canada

0.50-2.00/mscf. If the cost is approximately

Assessing Net and Gross Storage of CO2 in the Subsurface and the Implication for CO2 Credits

1.25/mscf, the production cost of a barrel of incremental oil would be less than

Pilot Plant Studies of the CO2 Capture Performance of Aqueous MEA and Mixed MEA/MDEA Solvents at the University of Regina CO2 Capture Technology Development Plant and the Boundary Dam CO2 Capture Demonstration Plant

12. Therefore, even at todays modest oil prices, there is room for profit to be made operating a CO 2 flood with flue gas extracted CO 2 . The technical and economical feasibility of the concepts are evaluated and the practical implications for the Canadian resources are discussed.

Recent progress and new developments in post-combustion carbon-capture technology with amine based solvents

In order to sustain the current production capacity of conventional oil in Western Canada, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies must be increasingly applied. Among these, CO2 flooding is a highly attractive alternative. A large amount of CO2 is being produced by coal-fired power plants in this region. The CO2 is currently discharged into the atmosphere and could be a major contributor to the greenhouse effect, which may lead to global warming. Thus, the concept of capturing CO2 and utilizing it as a flooding agent in EOR processes is currently generating much interest among oil, utility and coal companies. We demonstrate how cogeneration concepts, together with process-optimization strategies, help to reduce the CO2-production cost by utilizing low-pressure steam and waste heat from various sections of the power-generation process. Based on these concepts and strategies, results from this study show that the recovery cost of CO2 from a coal-fired power plant may range between

Life-Cycle Analysis of CO2 EOR on EOR and Geological Storage through Economic Optimization and Sensitivity Analysis Using the Weyburn Unit as a Case Study†

0.50 and 2.00/mscf. If the cost is approximately

Carbon Footprint and Principle of Additionality in CO2-EOR Projects: The Weyburn Case

1.25/mscf, the production cost of a barrel of incremental oil would be less than

A model of carbon capture and storage with demonstration of global warming potential and fossil fuel resource use efficiency

18. Therefore, even at todays modest oil prices, there is room for profit to be made operating a CO2 flood with flue-gas-extracted CO2. The technical and economical feasibility of the concepts are evaluated and the practical implications for the Saskatchewan resources are discussed.

Human health risks of post- and oxy-fuel combustion carbon dioxide capture technologies: Hypothetically modeled scenarios

This paper examines the definition of a CO2 credit within the context of geological storage. At present, there is no international standard in place for the calculation of CO2 emission reduction credits from geological storage. The determination of the gross storage of CO2 in a geological setting is relatively easy through the use of standard metering systems at the wellhead. This does not account for the many factors that could be considered to affect the net storage of CO2. Net calculations will require the development of standards that are consistent with other forms of storage (biological storage for example) and will include surface leakage, length of time storage is required, definition of the injection zone, subsurface CO2 migration, recycling penalties, etc. The CO2 credit may well be less than the gross amount of CO2 injected because of any CO2 penalty that might be imposed. This could be considered as a discount factor that would be applied to each tonne of CO2 stored in the subsurface. Determining a discount factor will require a complete understanding of the lifecycle of the CO2 injected into the subsurface, including projections of the fate of this CO2 over time. Allocation of emissions at various stages of the lifecycle will be achieved by application of a clear set of definitions that will allow these emissions to be inventoried. There will need to be a clear understanding of what is meant by leakage and of how the inventories will be developed. This paper focuses on the assessment of net and gross storage calculations for the CO2 to be injected into the subsurface, with a brief review of some of the issues requiring definition to assess subsurface net storage calculations.