Bjørn Kvamme
University of Bergen, Norway
Title: Storage of CO2 in CH4 hydrate reservoirs: A win-win situation with option for zero emission cycle through conversion of CH4 to hydrogen and CO2
Biography
Biography: Bjørn Kvamme
Abstract
Natural gas hydrates are crystalline structures of water and CH4, containing up to 14% CH4. These hydrate structures are distributed all over the world in permafrost regions or in deep offshore sediments and may contain as much as twice the amounts of all other known reserves of conventional fossil fuels. CO2 hydrate is more stable than CH4 hydrate over most regions of temperature and pressure and mixed hydrate in which CH4 fills part of the structure (the 25% small cavities in the structure) is more stable than CH4 hydrate over all conditions of temperature and pressure. Injection of CO2 into natural gas hydrates will therefore lead to release of CH4 for energy while at the same time storing CO2 in solid form. Steam cracking of the produced CH4 over to hydrogen and CO2 gives the option of a zero emission cycle for producing energy. Experiments, as well as theoretical aspects of the concept are discussed in detail. Technical solutions for the various stages of the cycle is also presented and discussed. Special focus is on the various mechanisms for the conversions and how to optimize the concept.