We are delighted to invite everyone to the talk given by our collaborator, Johannes Sonke, Shell’s global expert for CCUS materials and Corrosion prediction & control. Hans is going to present for us the current problems around some of the largest-scale CO₂-related projects currently underway.

When: 21 May, 14:00
Where: Eng. 209
Link: <MS Teams>

Abstract. To keep global warming within the Paris agreement, CO₂ emission reduction at large scale is required. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is identified as a key technology available and is expected to account for 15% of CO₂ (4.5 Gt) reductions by 2050. To reduce CO₂ emissions cost-effectively, large-scale CCS Hub projects have been initiated to capture CO₂ from multiple industrial emitters.

CCS Hub design and the related formulations are a challenge. There is little experience with upscaling CCS from multiple sources, and projects are already underway. A critical problem is a group of impurities that can cause degradation and failures of equipment and pipelines, and thus drive the requirements for purification of the CO₂. Each CO₂ stream from each emitter brings their own specific spectrum of impurities (H₂O, SO_x, H₂S, NO_x, O₂); during mixing, the impurities react with each other to form acids (H₂SO₄, HNO₃) and solids, that can cause severe corrosion. The challenge for industry is to identify safe limits for purification while avoiding unnecessary cost. Research is needed to understand the behaviour of impure CO₂ and its interaction with the design materials to operate CCS Hub projects in a safe way and to make this crucial component of the energy transition a success. In this presentation, we will explain the background of the challenges we are facing with a fast-forward moving industry where research has an immediate impact on projects that are about to become operational.

Biography: Hans has over 20 years of experience as a materials & corrosion engineer and technologist. In his current roles in Shell (global expert for "CCUS Materials" and "Corrosion Prediction & Control“), he provides technical support to assets and projects to guide the company on materials selection and corrosion control for operations related to the energy transition, and leads the parallel research & technology initiatives.