There was a great deal of activity at the CO2CRC Otway Research Facility on 10 and 11 October 2016, when an experimental capture platform was delivered. The $1M piece of equipment, which was manufactured to exacting specifications in Melbourne, was lowered by crane onto a strengthened concrete slab.
The new equipment will capture methane from a high CO2 concentration natural gas well using novel membrane and adsorbent materials, testing them for efficiency and cost effectiveness. The platform has been designed to be compact, energy efficient and robust, making it attractive to industry. The intention is to use it initially in off-shore environments, with on-shore applications also possible.
CO2CRC’s Otway Research Facility is an ideal location to build and test the equipment as it has a high CO2 concentration natural gas field and the costal environment is tough.