Small-scale CCS ammonia in Japan

INPEX selects Tsubame BHB, Air Liquide as technology providers

The demonstration-sized plant will be constructed in Kashiwazaki City on Japan’s central coast, utilising autothermal reforming technology (ATR) and CCS in depleted gas fields to produce around 500 tonnes of ammonia per year. Tsubame BHB will provide the production technology, based on a novel electride catalyst it has been commercialising since 2017 (the catalyst was first discovered at the Tokyo Institute of Technology). Air Liquide’s ATR technology has also been selected for the INPEX-led project, which reached FID last November. Ammonia production is expected to start in 2025.

…hydrocarbon gas from INPEX’s gas field in Minami-Nagaoka is transported to the Hirai area in the Higashi-Kashiwazaki gas field via an existing pipeline and is used to produce hydrogen and ammonia in this area. By-product CO2 associated with the production process is planned to be separated, captured, and injected into a depleted gas reservoir in the Hirai area in which hydrocarbon gas production [has] already ceased. This makes it possible to suppress CO2 emissions of the process and to produce clean hydrogen and ammonia having low carbon intensity. In addition, we also plan to investigate the effect of enhanced gas recovery, EGR, since the enhancement of hydrocarbon gas recovery by the injection of CO2 into the depleted gas reservoir is expected. We plan to employ several monitoring tools to monitor the behavior of the injected CO2 in the reservoir, while ensuring the safe operation of CO2 injection.

Project description from JOGMEC’s official press release, 15 Nov 2022

JOGMEC, NEDO-backed project

JOGMEC and INPEX signed an agreement back in April 2022 to collaborate on the demonstration project, with the expressed goal to “gain operational experience in CCUS and an understanding of the CO2 storage potential of Japanese depleted gas reservoirs”. NEDO is helping fund the carbon capture, hydrogen & ammonia production aspects of the project.