SWAP featured in Chemical Engineering Magazine

June 10th, 2010
From the Chementator / Chemical Engineering Magazine
Recently at the Global Refining Summit Swapsol Corp. introduced a completely new sour-gas-cleanup process that reduces hydrogen sulfide levels below detectable levels (under 4 ppb) while reacting with carbon dioxide to form water, sulfur and a polymer of sulfur and carbon (carsul). Although still in the laboratory stage of development, the process promises to have application in cleaning up landfill gas, sour-gas, fluegas and Claus tailgas, as well as serving as an alternative to Claus technology, says COO Wolf Koch. Named after its discoverers, the Stenger-Wasas Process (SWAP) involves the reaction of H2S and CO2 at temperatures of 70–200°C and ambient to moderate pressures. The exothermic reaction is carried out in a catalyst-packed tubular reactor and produces sulfur, water and carsuls. The catalyst is a naturally occurring mineral ore that is pretreated in a manner analogous to common hydrotreating catalysts. Sulfur can be recovered from carsul by simply heating it, leaving behind a polymer of carbon that may have applications as a construction material. Thus far the company has performed the reaction in 1- and 2-in.-dia. tubular reactors, and believes scaleup to a commercial process with a large shell containing multiple tubes is not a problem. Swapsol is now planning to start testing its applications in a pilot plant and move to the first commercial application — most probably a landfill-gas-cleanup operation — during 2011.
Source http://www.che.com/chementator/Combined-CO2-mitigation-and-H2S-removal_5735.html

SWAPSOL in May had the good fortune of being able to briefly discuss the SWAP with Dr. Gerald Ondrey of Chemical Engineering Magazine.

From the Chementator / Chemical Engineering Magazine

Recently at the Global Refining Summit Swapsol Corp. introduced a completely new sour-gas-cleanup process that reduces hydrogen  sulfide levels below detectable levels (under 4 ppb) while reacting with carbon dioxide to form water, sulfur and a polymer of sulfur and carbon (carsul). Although still in the laboratory stage of development, the process promises to have application in cleaning up landfill gas, sour-gas, fluegas and Claus tailgas, as well as serving as an alternative to Claus technology, says COO Wolf Koch.

Named after its discoverers, the Stenger-Wasas Process (SWAP) involves the reaction of H2S and CO2 at temperatures of 70–200°C and ambient to moderate pressures. The exothermic reaction is carried out in a catalyst-packed tubular reactor and produces sulfur, water and carsuls. The catalyst is a naturally occurring mineral ore that is pretreated in a manner analogous to common hydrotreating catalysts. Sulfur can be recovered from carsul by simply heating it, leaving behind a polymer of carbon that may have applications as a construction material. Thus far the company has performed the reaction in 1- and 2-in.-dia. tubular reactors, and believes scaleup to a commercial process with a large shell containing multiple tubes is not a problem. Swapsol is now planning to start testing its applications in a pilot plant and move to the first commercial application — most probably a landfill-gas-cleanup operation — during 2011.

Source http://www.che.com/chementator/Combined-CO2-mitigation-and-H2S-removal_5735.html

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EPA submits Greenhouse Gas rules to White House

April 23rd, 2010

It will be interesting to watch how the recently submitted EPA rules to the White House drive new dialogue among business leaders on how reporting requirements will affect bottom lines.  How will the new “tailoring rules” ultimately apply?

The Wall Street Journal reports: “EPA officials say the agency wants to finalize the rule by the end of April, but that timetable may slip into May. The EPA said earlier this year that the first phase would likely target facilities that emit more than 75,000 to 100,000 tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent a year starting in 2011. The agency hasn’t yet made clear the exact first-phase threshold.”

Landfills may be particularly impacted and would present a valuable opportunity  for municipal leaders to explore how the SWAP could be implemented to safely and cheaply process landfill gas (LFG) for power.  A recent article from the New York Times delves into the broad potential impact of these rules.

In the United States alone, there were more than 3,500 landfills in operation as documented by the EPA in 1995.  In 2003, we generated 236.2 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW), an increase of 15 percent above 1990 levels and 168 percent above 1980 levels.  The number of landfill gas projects that generate electricity on-site, supply industrial gas-fired boilers, or produce substitute natural gas rules, such as compressed natural gas (CNG) jumped from approximately 400 in 2005 to 519 in 2009.

Many landfills are now accepting large quantities of construction and demolition debris in addition to MSW, which in sufficient quantities results in landfill gases with relatively high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S).  H2S is generally the byproduct of bacterial decomposition of construction wastes, particularly drywall containing calcium sulfate.   There is an interesting article from Environmental Leader on H2S and potential reporting requirements this month.

Landfill gas cleanup is likely to experience significant growth in the future as a renewable energy option.  Each landfill is normally a stand-alone operation close to an urban location.  Integrating SWAP technology at these locations, it is believed, would require minimal interface activities with existing processes.

www.swapsol.com

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EPA proposes oil and gas to report emissions

March 28th, 2010

Late last year at the Global Refining Strategies Summit in Houston,  major industry executives talked about new Washington rules on CO2 emissions not in terms of “if,” but “when.”  If you aren’t in the oil and gas business and blinked during the last three weeks during the healthcare battle on Capitol Hill, you might have missed the news:

March 4, 2010 WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency intends to require that power plants, refineries and other major sources of global-warming pollution get permits beginning in 2011 that would require them to cut emissions, the agency’s leader said Wednesday.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said the EPA wants to regulate sources emitting more than 75,000 tons a year of polluting gaseous oxides (CO2, etc.) over the next three years.  Exactly how the EPA intends to monitor and regulate these emissions is the singular issue not lost on the environmental and industry lobbies in D.C.  Get ready for a knock-down drag out over what the country’s enviro-political landscape will or should look like for years to come.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson

But stepping back, here’s what the EPA has done: it has proposed that oil, gas and other entities that emit CO2 and related pollutants be added to an existing list of companies that report their emissions levels yearly.  One pollutant cited by the EPA is methane, a gas generated by the petroleum industry that traps 20 percent more heat than carbon and is considered a major factor in climate change.  Another area the EPA is interested in is CO2 injection or “flooding” – a method used by producers to push oil out of the ground.

“Gathering this information is the first step toward reducing greenhouse emissions and fostering innovative technologies for the clean energy future,” said Jackson.

The industries cited will be asked to begin recording their emissions for a report submitted in 2012.

Research & Development

SWAPSOL Sulfur Cycle

SWAPSOL Sulfur Cycle

Swapsol Corp. may have a potential solution that may make the worry over CO2 emissions a thing of the past.

SWAPSOL is developing commercial processes around a newly discovered chemical reaction verified to reduce hydrogen sulfide (H2S) below detectable levels while reacting with carbon dioxide (CO2) to form water, sulfur and carsuls, a carbon-sulfur polymer.

The Stenger-Wasas Process (SWAP) stands to fundamentally simplify sulfur removal technology as it consumes carbon dioxide in an exothermic reaction under relatively mild process conditions.

SWAPSOL will again present its science to the international oil and gas industry at the Global Refining Summit May 17-19  in Rotterdam.  It returns to Houston October 26-27 to meet with industry at the Global Refining Strategies Summit.

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SWAP to clean flue gas, Claus tail gas, destroy CO2

March 17th, 2010

“Clean coal technology” describes a new generation of energy processes that sharply reduce air emissions and other pollutants from coal-burning power plants.” – from the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s “Clean Coal Technology & Clean Power Initiative” web page.

Coal-fired power plant

Coal-fired power plant

What happens to gas generated by coal-fired power plants?  It exits the plant up the smokestack and is called “flue gas.”  What if there were a way to clean flue gas and lessen the need to capture and bury CO2?

There is a dearth of news on efforts to make coal “clean,” by capturing the gas and storing it underground.  Swapsol is in the late stages of laboratory development and is seeking industrial partners to commercialize a technology that alters preconceived notions about chemistry and energy.

The Stenger-Wasas Process (SWAP) is capable of reducing all existing gaseous oxides and other reactive components in gases including NOx, SOx, O3, COS, CS2, CO, H2S, CO2 and mercaptans.  The elimination of refinery flue gas may have the single biggest impact on industry savings and climate change. Refining operations already have sulfur plants and gas streams containing H2S, thereby increasing the feasibility of integrating the SWAP technology.

The SWAP also has important applications for Claus tail gas cleanup.  Refineries requiring additional H2S may generate requisite amounts on-site using the SWAP Sulfur Cycle which reacts any waste hydrocarbon with sulfur to form H2S and carsuls, a carbon-sulfur polymer.

For more information on the SWAP, please visit http://www.swapsol.com . The next presentation will be held May 19 at the Global Refining Summit/Rotterdam http://www.refiningsummit.com

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South Africa first with Landfill gas to energy project, World Cup shining

February 8th, 2010

The first landfill gas-to-energy project has been completed on the African continent.   Funded in part by the city of Durban, South Africa, the nearly $12.9 million facility will produce 10MV of electricity and is expected to serve the eThekwini  municipality for the next eight years.

Bisisar Road Landfill, outside Durban

Bisisar Road Landfill, outside Durban

The power from the Bisisar Road, La Mercy and MarianHill landfill sites will help mitigate power shortage issues and reduce the amount of CO2 released by conventional coal-fired power stations.

The South African government has now asked Durban to consult other cities on generating power from landfill gas.  Energy Minister Dipuo Peters called the project a benchmark for the future.

As reported by the Times, her department contributed nearly $3 million to the Bisisar project.

“I appeal to the eThekwini Municipality to help other municipalities to do this because you have succeeded. I will tell other departments to come to you,” she said.

Already in green spotlight

The world spotlight has been shining on South Africa recently in the run-up to 2010 FIFA World Cup June 11 – July 11.  The host nation has been working hard to burnish its green image in the face of criticism it is not doing enough to reduce its carbon footprint over the course of the tournament.  Africa’s first World Cup will reportedly generate 2.75 million tons of carbon emissions. This number takes into account international travel, intercity transport, stadium construction, etc.

A number of local organizations are proposing measures to bring this figure down.  One is Promoting Access to Carbon Equity (PACE). According to Anton Cartwright, co-founder of PACE, investment in carbon trading and offsets makes the most sense.

“It would, by my reckoning, cost around R200 million [$26.8 million] to offset the 2010 emissions by investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects,” Cartwright wrote.

“That is a large investment, but it is a fraction of the cost of our cheapest stadium, and you don’t have to be a Rhodes Scholar to work out that renewable energy is likely to make a longer and more positive contribution to South Africa’s future than many of our stadiums,” he added.

Meanwhile, cities like Durban appear to be doing their part.  In the United States, a growing number of landfill gas projects are underway, and many of those efforts are being supported by the Environmental Protection Agency.  We took a look at these projects in our previous post.

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Landfills: Trash into Treasure

January 25th, 2010

Courtesy: www.guardian.co.uk

Trash into treasure they call it.  In the country’s quest to identify sustainable or unconventional forms of energy, there is a growing movement among engineers to come up with methods that capture valuable methane gas locked in landfills and other waste sites for power.

It’s called Landfill Gas Energy where gas produced by decaying hydrocarbon waste is purified in a central location at the waste site. It is, then, sent to energy producers, such as electricity plants, manufacturers and others.

Last year, the EPA estimated there were 517 landfill energy projects in operation among the 1,800 municipal landfills nationwide.  In fact, the EPA is supporting development of waste-to-energy projects with its Landfill Methane Outreach Program.  This is a voluntary program where the EPA forms partnerships with communities and landfill operators to capture and purify harmful landfill gas, turning it into affordable energy.

But private industry is also heavily investing in a strategy that many think could play a substantial role in the country’s overall move toward hydrocarbon recycling and sustainability.  Waste Management Inc., for example, has been involved in waste-to-energy projects since the 1970s through innovations including its Wheelabrator technology.  Other companies, such as Dow Chemical treat waste gas through its SELEXOL solvent system.

But there are new developments potentially in how hydrocarbon waste is recycled.  There is belief that new technology requiring no solvents or separation of the gas is the solution.  Waste disposal costs may be cut dramatically while harmful pollutants are eliminated.

www.swapsol.com

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Beyond Copenhagen: Cap & Trade or Carbon Tax? Or what?

December 31st, 2009
French President Nicolas Sarkozy

French President Nicolas Sarkozy

The French version of the Supreme Court this week shot down a carbon tax proposal that the Nicolas Sarkozy administration hailed as a fundamental weapon against climate change. The court cited too many loopholes. Today, France’s economic minister is offering a new proposal he says will close many of those loopholes and says the new proposal is a necessary tool to fight CO2 emissions.

As a follow-up to our earlier post looking at the Carbon Offset, we wanted to take a summary look at two other CO2 mitigation plans. Unlike the Carbon Offset, which typically is an industry-driven solution, two others are the so-called “cap & trade” system and the straight carbon tax.   Both require direct involvement from government.

Cap & Trade

What is the so-called “cap & trade” system?  Long in place as a method for managing pollution in Europe, cap & trade is a two-part system where a government sets a cap on the volume of particular greenhouse gases (GHG) (carbon dioxide, mercury, nitrous oxide and sulfur)  can be emitted.  The government then sets up a system where companies can earn “credits” when they emit fewer emissions. Companies can sell these credits to other organizations unable to currently meet their caps.  Proponents of cap & trade contend a government can reach their overall emissions caps at the lowest possible cost.  Critics of cap & trade say the system is flawed, arguing it is cheaper for many companies to purchase the credits rather than invest in technology to reduce their emissions.  Thus, they say, it does nothing to impact CO2 emissions in the long-term and merely serves as an arbitrary tax in the short-term.

Carbon Tax

The other CO2 mitigation proposal is the carbon tax.  Relatively self-explanatory, the carbon tax is an excise tax on the carbon content of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal).  Those in favor of the carbon tax say it is the simplest and most efficient way of pricing emissions and will quickly spur investment in carbon reduction.  Those against say it is a regressive tax that punishes those smaller companies unable to withstand the penalties and will hurt small business and put people out of work.  Many economists and experts believe the carbon tax should be phased in over time so as to allow companies and organizations adapt.

At the end of the day there are arguments from every angle.  In whatever way CO2 mitigation is achieved, we can rest assured it will take not only determined investment in technology, but also a sustained belief that it is our obligation as people to do what we can to save the environment, and ultimately, ourselves.

www.swapsol.com

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Beyond Copenhagen: What is a Carbon Offset?

December 17th, 2009

Copenhagen is coming to a close with reports that a deal may not be reached.  Aside from geopolitical arguments on who should shoulder more burden, there is the added confusion of what’s being done thus far.  Carbon offsets is one method, though not widely understood.  If you want to understand carbon offsets, talk to someone who’s used up their cell phone minutes and is now paying overage charges.

Copenhagen Dec. 2009

Copenhagen Dec. 2009

In response to growing governmental calls to reduce carbon emissions or face penalties, industry has had to come up with a variety of strategies to comply.  In Europe, they use “cap & trade.”  In the U.S. there is similar legislation being proposed on top of new calls for a carbon tax.  Similar to a cap & trade, the carbon offset has become a way to get credit for the job, but give breathing room to improve compliance with new CO2 emission regulations.

What is a carbon offset?  To quote Carbonfund.org, “a carbon offset represents a reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) somewhere else…. to balance out the emissions you cannot reduce”.

A carbon offset is a financial tool a company or organization uses to comply with greenhouse gas reduction rules.   For example, a governmental body decides that a Company should annually emit less than X-tons of CO2 into the air yearly. But that company produces greater than that amount.  By itself, that company would have a very difficult time meeting that requirement.

So in order to meet these new regulations, industry has developed the carbon offset.  The carbon offset allows CO2 emitters (companies, governments, citizens, organizations) to invest directly into projects which either are carbon-negative or create carbon-neutral or renewable energy, e.g. carbon reforestation, wind farms and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects.

By purchasing credits and giving money to organizations like the Carbon Fund and Terrapass, you can, in essence, reduce or eliminate your own carbon footprint.

The growing green shift has been a boon for carbon offset providers. According to the UN, 147m tons of the credits have been sold worldwide under the Kyoto Protocol. But this market could become very big business following the passage of any US climate bill. Climate legislation is currently stalled in the Senate, with Democratic leaders not expecting a vote on the bill until early spring

Given the multitude of CO2 mitigation proposals being debated, Swapsol looks forward to playing a fundamental role in helping companies benefit by converting CO2 and earning valuable carbon credits. Every possible action must be taken to reduce anthropogenic CO2 and avoid climate disaster.

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Swapsol supports Worldwatch natural gas play at Copenhagen

December 2nd, 2009

Could natural gas be a player in the new world climate order?  It looks like three organizations will be pushing for just that in Copenhagen next week.   The American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF), the UN Foundation and the Worldwatch Institute say they will jointly “explore the potential for natural gas to accelerate the world’s transition to a low-carbon economy,” according to Worldwatch.

Sour gas pipeline, courtesy CBC.CA

Sour gas pipeline, courtesy CBC.CA

They will announce that new sources of unconventional gas could (and would) more quickly help the world turn away from oil and coal as a primary source of energy and spur new energy policy.  That’s correct if certain truths are taken into account.  There are considerable reserves of natural gas that remain capped due to high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) that make them “sour.”  Many of these reserves are in remote areas where the cost of production makes it economically unattractive.  In fact, nearly 40 percent of the world’s natural gas reserves is sour, according to French oil and gas giant Total, s.a.

Many experts say more attention needs to be paid to renewable sources like wind and solar.  That’s true, but where are we now?  Wind and solar are growing sources of energy, but they currently aren’t developed enough to make an overnight change.  Will natural gas be the answer?

H2S, sometimes known as “sewer gas,” is the oil and gas industry’s enemy No. 1.  A chief part of the refining process is removing sulfur and H2S from raw streams to be able to bring refined natural gas to market. So yes, natural gas should play a fundamental role in any low-carbon policy proposed.  But this is possible only if more attention is paid to technological advances in refining it.

As we look toward Copenhagen, SWAPSOL agrees with the Worldwatch Institute that greater investment is needed in natural gas to play a pivotal role in a low-carbon environment.  Wind and solar technologies are exciting and are quickly gaining ground in the fight against climate change, but today we have an opportunity to both lower carbon emissions using natural gas, as well. Incorporating natural gas into the mix of solutions will also create needed jobs through additional investment in refining technologies. These technologies hold the key to preventing H2S from holding a tremendous volume of natural gas hostage.

With the SWAP, we can eliminate two “bad actors” in a single chemical process, protect the environment and improve bottom lines by reducing costs and creating jobs simultaneously.  We can look at CO2 not as an enemy, but as a friend and use it to profit in a new energy economy.

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Oil, Natural Gas, the Supply Debate: Where Do We Stand?

November 20th, 2009

How can the energy future be mapped without data?

Following its annual outlook released the week of Nov. 9,  the IEA repeated its prediction in a CNN report that oil supplies would rise to 105 million barrels by 2030 under current government policy.  Totally false, according to two IEA employees who recently discussed their views in an interview (prompting the IEA to repeat their predictions).  They contend the IEA is feeling pressure from the United States to inflate predictions so the markets don’t fly into a tizzy.  One of them said, “there are fears that panic could spread on the financial markets if the figures were brought down further.”

But there is obviously another force at work that will likely impact the world markets outside he supply question – Congress is considering legislation to mandate lower emissions from industry either through European “cap and trade” schemes or an outright tax.  Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson said in a speech at an APEC summit in Singapore that he advocates for a carbon tax rather than carbon trading.

In a recent Reuters article , Tillerson said that carbon emissions were expected to rise by 1 percent each year for the next two decades.  He said investing in natural gas was one way to slow it down, easing the financial burden on producers.

“Stemming the rise in greenhouse gases is a challenge. One way of expanding supply and reducing emissions is to invest in technologies to bring more natural gas to the Asia Pacific region,” he said.

Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson

Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson

In addition, Tillerson said natural gas usage will likely spike more than 50 percent globally by 2030 and that Asia-Pacific region use alone will rise by 130 percent.

At this year’s Global Refining Strategies Summit in Houston, talk of CO2 legislation and the need for more investment in green technology dominated discussions over the two-day conference.  It wasn’t a question of “if” the U.S. government would make a decision on emissions, but when, as well as what steps industry should take today to prepare.   It is also why presenters from SWAPSOL Corp. earned so much attention with their discovery of converting CO2 into harmless compounds.

SWAPSOL scientists continue their work.  It will be interesting to see how the public dialogue shifts with new attention directed to what actually is possible.

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