May 6

ExxonMobil plans to spend more than $100 million developing and testing a technology that could make the capture and storage of carbon dioxide from natural gas more affordable.

Carbon dioxide, along with methane, is potent greenhouse gases.

ExxonMobil plans to build a commercial demonstration plant near LaBarge, Wyo., where it will use a single-step cryogenic separation process that freezes out and then melts carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, which is found in so-called "sour gas."

If successful, the process would reduce the cost of carbon dioxide removal from produced natural gas, according to the company.

Once remove, the carbon dioxide could be injected underground for storage or for use in a process for enhancing oil recovery.

The demonstration plant, located at the energy company´s Shute Creek Treating Facility, will process about 14 million cubic feet of gas per day for injection. The company plans to begin construction this summer, and test operations could begin in one to two years.

E-mail Waste News senior reporter Bruce Geiselman at bgeiselman@crain.com

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