Ecopetrol selects Honeywell Technology for advanced solvent carbon capture study on FCCUs in Colombia
Honeywell has been selected by Ecopetrol S.A. (Ecopetrol), the largest company in Colombia and one of the main diversified energy companies on the American continent, to develop a prefeed engineering study for an Advanced Solvent Carbon Capture (ASCC) modular demonstration unit, which will be used to evaluate carbon dioxide (CO2) capture from Ecopetrol fluid catalytic cracking units (FCCUs).
FCCUs are key conversion process units within refineries that enable the production of gasoline and propylene. FCCUs are also significant sources of CO2 emissions, accounting for 15%–20% of overall emissions in a typical FCC-based refinery, including Ecopetrol´s refineries. Overall, the global refining industry produces ~3% of all CO2 emissions.
Honeywell UOP’s ASCC technology has been designed to capture CO2 from post-combustion flue gases, which are more challenging to treat due to the low-CO2 concentration and low pressure inherent in these sources. In the ASCC process, CO2 is absorbed into an amine solvent and then sent to a stripper where CO2 is separated from the solvent and then transported to be utilized or stored geologically.
Honeywell’s Advanced Solvent Carbon Capture technology is specifically designed for post-combustion flue gas applications, enabling greater than 95% CO2 capture. This technology can be retrofitted within existing plants or included as part of a new installation.
The design target of the demonstration unit is to capture 30 tpd of CO2 from Ecopetrol FCC flue gas. If implemented, the demonstration unit will provide valuable information into the performance of this technology in reducing FCC emissions, with learnings that can be used to inform deployment of commercial scale units in FCC service.
Ecopetrol is the first company in the oil and gas industry in Latin America to set the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 for Scopes 1 and 2. As a mid-term target, by 2030 Ecopetrol seeks to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 25% as compared to 2019.
Honeywell’s Advanced Solvent Carbon Capture technology can help meet these goals.
“The use of Honeywell’s Advanced Solvent Carbon Capture technology can effectively reduce Ecopetrol’s environmental impact by helping to prevent CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere,” said Barry Glickman, Vice President and General Manager, Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions. “Honeywell’s ready-now ASCC technology produces high-purity, storable carbon dioxide and can help companies worldwide meet their carbon reduction goals.”
Today, 15 MMtpy of CO2 are being captured and used in storage/utilization applications through Honeywell’s CO2 Solutions process expertise. Current Honeywell customers have the capacity to capture 40 MMtpy of CO2 through installed projects worldwide that utilize Honeywell CO2 technology.
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