ONS 2024: Petronas enters MoU for ZEUS carbon capture development

Aker Solutions has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Petronas Carigali, MISC and Clean Energy Systems.

Together they will develop a pilot project featuring the Zero Emission Power Station (ZEUS), an energy solution that combines oxyfuel combustion with CO2 capture and storage.

The combustion process can convert high-CO₂ natural gas into power while capturing 100% of the CO₂ emissions, Aker Solutions said. The CO₂ is then injected into an offshore reservoir for permanent storage or alternatively used to increase production of oil and gas before being permanently stored in the subsurface.

ZEUS’ main advantage is that it can handle the combustion at elevated pressures, the company added, allowing for more compact and simplified process equipment. This could bring substantial cost savings while enhancing CO₂ management.

The result could be zero-emission, affordable and reliable power offshore.

In addition, oxyfuel combustion is said to be capable of burning untreated gas straight from the well, including gas with up to a 90% CO₂ content, enabling use of gas reserves that would otherwise be considered uneconomic to develop.

Once the technology has been fully demonstrated, the three parties intend to scale ZEUS to address rising energy demands and to support the transition to a more renewable energy mix.

MISC aims to have the technology available on dedicated floating units, with other suppliers brought onboard for further development of the technology.