Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in heavy oil refineries

What is it about?

Globally, the demand for energy is on the rise. Since existing resources fall short of meeting this demand, new resources are being looked at. But generating fuel from such resources in refineries requires a lot of energy. They also lead to high emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), which further increases global warming and climate change. This calls for alternative technologies for powering the production of energy. One such technology is plasma processing technology (PPT). It uses natural energy sources for electrifying upgraders in refineries. The use of this technology has been looked at the laboratory level. However, its use at an industrial level is yet to be explored. In this study, researchers looked at the energy consumption, GHG emissions, and energy cost of PPT at an industrial scale. They found that an oil refinery using PPT requires more energy and is higher priced than a traditional refinery. But the use of natural source of energy to power PPT reduced the emission of GHGs.

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Photo by American Public Power Association on Unsplash

Photo by American Public Power Association on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Many plasma technologies have shown positive results at the laboratory level. However, they were not yet studied at an industrial level. This study is, in fact, the first to show how energy consumption, GHG emissions, and costs differ for PPT and traditional technologies. In the US alone, using such a technology in just 3% of refineries can reduce CO2 emissions by 2 million metric tons per year. The findings of this study can help reduce GHG emissions and improve energy production in the refinery sector. KEY TAKEAWAY: PPT as a new fuel processing pathway can help in achieving the goal of zero GHG emissions by 2050. It will be helpful in fulfilling the global energy need while also slowing down the pace of climate change. This research relates to the following Sustainable Development Goals: • SDG 13 - Climate Action • SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure • SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production