Skoltech researchers have found a way to produce hydrogen from natural gas with 45% efficiency right in the gas field by injecting steam and a catalyst into a well and adding oxygen to ignite the gas. Catalyst-assisted combustion produces a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, from which the latter can be easily extracted. This technology will help accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to clean hydrogen power. The study was published in Fuel.
The alternatives are the status quo or severely restricting natural gas extraction. I won’t say the latter isn’t doable, especially if we can ramp up nuclear power capacity, but there’s a lot of baggage there. We should welcome a solution that effectively makes natural gas an emissions-free resource.
I wouldn’t call carbon monoxide a good side product. If the amount created is negligible then great, but are there realistic figures?
Also, its probably safe to assume the producers will lie about how much they’re allowing to leak into the air.
You’re cheating by using trends to predict this. :-p
I don’t understand what you mean. As described in the article, the process leaves the CO trapped in the ground.
Yes, the article says that but I’m not sure how much I believe it. If there’s a decent body of work that draws consensus I would be less sceptical.
Not sure what direction to point you in. Gas storage in geological formations has been successfully practiced in the helium and natural gas industries for a while. Subterranean storage of carbon dioxide has also been successfully demonstrated. Apparently, there’s a big gas field being used for this purpose off the coast of Norway since 1996.
Keeping in mind I have zero knowledge of what you’re telling me about, but these examples don’t include anything about carbon monoxide.
If the similarities to the other gases are close enough to mean that it can be safely stored using the same techniques, then I’m inclined to feel a lot less worried about the whole thing.
But I don’t really trust these sectors to act on our behalf, only to make profit line go up. Lying and bribing appears to be part of that, as can be seen all around us these days.
I’m unaware of any examples of subterranean carbon monoxide storage. However, underground helium storage has been done successfully for a while. Helium is one of the best gases at leaking because of its small size, which should provide some reassurance as to the storage of larger gases underground.
I agree that greed and corporate malfeasance are a thing, but it’s kind of a separate problem. The government is either going to enforce environmental regulations and manage our resources properly or it’s not.
Well, that sounds promising at least.
If you don’t think those things are very much related, may I suggest reading this post on Lemmy today.
The levels of corruption aimed at climate denial and in furthering fossil fuels is frightening.
For sure. The fossil fuel industry is absolutely insidious.
We could do both and hedge our bets.
Yes. I mean, I don’t think we’re getting anywhere without a war economy build-out of nuclear power capacity regardless.