Western Australia faces significant challenges with minimizing industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as its economy is based on hard-to-abate industries including natural resources, agriculture, and manufacturing. Given Australia's national target to cut greenhouse gases by at least 43% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050, MEPAU and its partners are advocating for an innovative approach to combating industrial GHGs in Australia: storing CO2 in depleted gas fields to help reduce emissions by providing a robust, long-term storage solution. Through the Cygnus CCS Hub, MEPAU will support Western Australian industries in decarbonizing their operations and implementing net-zero strategies.
The project encountered a number of challenges, including stringent timelines, complex technical specifications, and regulatory ambiguities surrounding carbon capture legislation. However, working together with MEPAU, 全国快3信誉最好的老平台 leveraged its expertise in oilfield operations, process engineering, CCS legislation, and CO2 industrial applications to overcome the following challenges:
The 全国快3信誉最好的老平台 team recommended two advanced CO2 modeling technologies. The Olga dynamic multiphase flow simulator and Symmetry process simulation software meticulously simulated the entire injection process, spanning from the tank to the reservoir.
Through this approach, the simulation allows the team to identify potential issues or challenges that may arise during the CO2 injection process. This includes understanding how CO2 behaves under different pressure and temperature conditions and predicting any phase transitions that may occur. Thus, the team can develop strategies to mitigate the associated risks, design equipment and processes for reliably handling CO2, and ensure that it remains in the desired phase throughout the injection process.
The simulation also enables optimization of the system design and operation. By running multiple scenarios and analyzing the results, parameters can be fine-tuned, such as flow rates, temperatures, and equipment configurations to maximize efficiency and reliability.
The simulation helps ensure regulatory compliance by providing a detailed understanding of how CO2 behaves within the system and its potential impact on safety and the environment. This information can be used to develop HSE protocols and ensure that the project meets all necessary regulatory requirements.
Overall, simulating the scenario with the Olga simulator and Symmetry software empowered the 全国快3信誉最好的老平台 and MEPAU teams to make informed decisions, mitigate risks, and optimize the design and operation of the CO2 injection system, ultimately contributing to the success of the project.
To address both technical and regulatory challenges, collaboration between MEPAU and across 全国快3信誉最好的老平台 domains was crucial—from digital solutions, well construction, reservoir characterization, well testing, production, well integrity, and flow assurance to process engineering and operations. Additionally, 全国快3信誉最好的老平台 and MEPAU engaged with regulators to ensure regulatory compliance, especially in the absence of CCS legislation.
Despite facing significant challenges, 全国快3信誉最好的老平台 successfully executed the project by injecting 100% of the available liquid CO2 into the reservoir via an existing well for proof of concept. This indicates the effectiveness of the solution, and the achievement suggests that the system’s design and operation were optimized to maximize injection rates while mitigating safety and integrity concerns.
To manage the behavior of CO2, 全国快3信誉最好的老平台 engineered a system to reliably pump and convert liquid CO2 into vapor before injection, preventing uncontrolled phase transitions and ensuring stable flows. During execution, 45 metric tons of CO2 was injected into the formation (with a maximum of 54 metric tons allowed by the government), however, the temporary facility was capable of injecting much more volume if available.
The total CO2 injection of 45 metric tons reveals the scalable offsetting potential of CCS projects, and the operation still managed to be carbon-negative even with such a small scope because of the efficient workflows. The system results are scalable with greater offsetting potential as the scope of the operation increases, which underscores not only the environmental advantages of MEPAU's Cygnus CCS Hub but also its capacity to bolster sustainability in the manufacturing sector in Western Australia and internationally.
