Emerging Opportunities for Natural Gas Treatment and CO2 Capture

Abstract Natural gas is an environmentally benign fossil fuel as the energy content per carbon atom is high. The high hydrogen content makes it a perfect source for hydrogen production. The expectations are that as the reserves become smaller, less profitable sources will be taking in production. Higher levels of contaminants characterize these. This calls for more advanced purification technologies that are compact, highly efficient, and pose a minimal environmental impact. Like in the Sleipner field (North Sea), the CO 2 is anticipated to be captured and stored appropriately. Additional CO 2 capture is possible in the power and other energy intensive sectors. Specific possibilities for the mitigation of CO 2 emissions include decarbonization of blast furnace gas in the iron and steel industry, and in the hydrogen production.