Building an E-Crude Plant with Heat Exchanger-Reactor HER Technology

Abstract ADNOC fields operate with zero flaring during normal operations; however, flaring during upset conditions is a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2). Therefore, to comply with flaring restrictions and support the UAE Net Zero emissions by 2045 Strategic Initiative, this paper will introduce an innovative Heat Exchanger-Reactor (HER) technology which will versatile hydrogenation of CO2 & produce synthetic fuels. This paper will introduce the KHIMOD's innovative Heat Exchanger-Reactor(HER) technology which converts CO2 into syngas via the Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) reaction. This syngas can thereafter be used to produce synthetic paraffinic crude in a subsequent second step, by a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactor, while incorporating additional hydrogen produced via water electrolysis. Alternatively, the green hydrogen contained in the syngas can be used directly for H2 storage or transportation. Various configurations have been developed to valorise the CO2-rich flare gases emitted from ADNOC onshore fields during emergency conditions. A new copper-based Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) catalyst and a new cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch (FT) catalyst have been custom developed to fit the opportunities of the very accurate catalytic temperature control possibilities of the Heat Exchanger-Reactor (HER) technology. Under the current market conditions, the early cost evaluation shows an overall of e-crude generation slightly beneath the 5 $/kg depending primarily on the cost of hydrogen, with an achievable target of reaching close to the 3 $/kg in the coming years. Moving forward, KHIMOD is studying the optimum plant configuration to convert CO2 from flaring during upset conditions into syngas in a field demonstration unit. The ground-breaking aspect of this paper is a real application case for a waste stream CO2 valorisation unit into hydrogen or Syncrude based on the novel field-proven market-ready KHIMOD Heat Exchanger-Reactor (HER) solution. The interaction between the Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) and the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technologies are aiming to eliminate the unavoidable CO2 emissions from the industrial sectors & support decarbonizing our operations to reach ADNOC's Net Zero by 2045 strategic goal.