His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon will pay a visit to the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) on Wednesday, March 6th. He will be accompanied by the US Chargée D’Affaires a.i. in Norway, Sharon Hudson-Dean.
“We are deeply honored by Crown Prince Haakon’s interest in visiting TCM. To gain his insights into our work,” says Muhammad Ismail Shah. CEO of the world’s largest and most flexible test center for carbon capture technologies. He will guide the Crown Prince and other distinguished guests through the facility.
Crown Prince Haakon is known for his keen interest in business development and innovation. Particularly on environmental issues and the green transition. He believes that technical innovation plays a crucial role in addressing global challenges. Recently, he spent a day in Bergen, where offshore wind was on the agenda. During his visit, he toured to the Bergen Offshore Wind Research Centre. Located at the University of Bergen and participated in a seminar for industry players in the offshore wind sector. Furthermore, HRH Crown Prince Haakon is scheduled to make an official visit to the West Coast of the USA from 15-18 April 2024, aimed at promoting business cooperation in the areas of green transition and digitalization.
At TCM, the US-based carbon capture company ION Clean Energy (video) has successfully completed its second test campaign for the company’s amine-based capture technology, achieving excellent results link to web case. ION also conducted test at Mongstad in 2016, being the first of a number of US companies to use TCM with partial funding from the US Department of Energy (DoE). In addition, InnoSepra is currently testing its technology in the TCM’s area dedicated to new technologies.
– Our collaboration with the US government and technology developers has been mutually beneficial,” states Muhammad Ismail Shah. “We are excited to showcase how our contributions have supported the development of technologies now being deployed in large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in the US.
Furthermore, , several other major technology players have tested at TCM, including Longship, which utilizes Aker Carbon Capture’s technology developed at TCM. All seven major technology suppliers that have engaged with TCM have subsequently initiated projects in various locations worldwide.
Among other distinguished guests expected during the Crown Prince’s visit are Liv Signe Navarsete, Governor of Vestland County, Astrid Bergmål, State Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Sara Hamre Sekkingstad, Mayor of Alver Municipality, Morten Sognnes, Mayor of Austrheim Municipality, and Kaare Songstad, Commissioner of the Western Police District.
– The world desperately needs cost-effective CO2 capture technologies. Can we in little Norway play a role in providing them? Can we contribute to solving the climate crisis? Yes, we can!
TCM’s managing director, Muhammad Ismail Shah, used Barack Obama’s campaign slogan “Yes, we can”. When he presented TCM’s activities at a meeting with the mayors of Alver, Austrheim, Gulen, Masfjorden and Modalen on Wednesday 21 February. Shah pointed out that the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that by 2050. 1.7 billion tonnes of CO2 will need to be removed directly from the air and water. And 6 billion tonnes through conventional carbon capture and storage to avoid global warming. The capture facilities that have come online to date will capture around 50 million tonnes.
– In other words, we have a long way to go. But Norway is leading the way with the Longship project,” says Shah, “We look forward to Heidelberg Materials’s capture facility at Brevik becoming operational with a target of 400,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. In addition Aker Carbon Capture’s capture technology has been tested here at TCM. With the transport to the receiving facility in Øygarden. After that the storage under the seabed in the North Sea, we are up and running. Longship and Northern Lights are just the beginning of a new and important industrial chapter in Norway. Internationally, a number of promising CCS initiatives are in the pipeline, not least in the US – stimulated by President Biden’s mammoth green transition programme, the Inflation Reduction Act.
Since its establishment in 2012, TCM has carried out more than 20 test campaigns on various carbon capture technologies. In December last year, an agreement was signed under which the Norwegian state reduced its stake in the company to 34 per cent, while Equinor, Shell and TotalEnergies increased their stakes to 22 per cent each. “The owners have collectively challenged me and all of my employees to ensure that in 2024 and 2025, we position the company for a future where operations will be self-sustaining,” said Muhammad Ismail Shah. “The programme we are implementing to achieve this goal is called TCM 2.0. Can we succeed? “Yes, we can!”
The TCM CEO thanked the mayors present for the support and interest the company has received in the region over the years. They reciprocated by congratulating Shah and his staff on the new operating agreement and wishing them well for the future. They also heard interesting presentations from the new director of Equinor Mongstad, Bernt E. Tysseland, and the project manager for Greenspot Mongstad, Einar Våge, who outlined the plans for the greening of Mongstad.
InnoSepra, led by Dr. Ravi Jain, is dedicated to developing clean energy technologies tailored for diverse end-users.
Their expertise encompasses various carbon capture methods. Including direct air capture, and capture from industrial sources with varying CO2 concentrations. Additionally, InnoSepra pioneers’ innovative solutions in flue gas purification. And CO2 compression, applicable across a spectrum of carbon capture technologies.
Following testing of their first-generation post combustion carbon capture technology at an NRG facility in Delaware, InnoSepra has embarked on testing its second-generation technology at TCM at the “Site for Emerging technologies”. With partial funding from the US Department of Energy (DoE).
“We selected TCM due to its outstanding facilities and infrastructure offerings. Moreover, TCM provides an invaluable opportunity for independent validation of various technologies. A crucial aspect for end users.”
On your website, it is mentioned that The second generation InnoSepra Post Combustion Capture Technology can reduce the absolute parasitic power for CO2 capture to below 1.8 GJ/tonne. This implies that the technology currently being tested at TCM has the capability to lower the energy consumption for capturing CO2 to below 1.8 GJ/tonne of CO2. Additionally, you state that The technology has the potential to reduce power loss due to steam extraction by more than 70% compared to MEA.
Could you please confirm whether the test results obtained so far have validated this assertion? “We have made significant progress toward achieving this goal. Although not yet with our preferred mode of regeneration. Through air regeneration, we believe we can attain the parasitic power target of below 1.8 GJ/tonne of CO2 at temperatures below 110°C. While also meeting the expected CO2 capacities. Implementing our preferred mode of regeneration presented challenges. But we are on the verge of success, and we hope to demonstrate regeneration with our preferred operational mode before the project’s conclusion.”
“We need to do one more scale-up, from 10 to 25 times of this test, to be able to offer the technology for large-scale CO2 capture. For smaller plants such as lime and hydrogen, less than 500 tons a day, we can combine the results from the first and second-generation capture technologies along with other technologies to offer very cost-effective capture solutions within two years. Additionally, we aim to expand the scale of our flue gas purification technology by 50 to 100 times, making it an integral component of a solvent-based capture solution. Industries we are engaging with include lime, cement, and hydrogen. In some cases, significant additional scaling may not be required to provide a cost-effective capture solution.”
TCM actively participates in a joint European project to develop CESAR1 as an non-proprietary solvent for carbon capture in the industry.
AURORA is a collaborative project funded by the European Union’s HORIZON EUROPE research and innovation program. Its primary objective is to optimize and qualify the open, non-proprietary CESAR1 solvent-based carbon capture technology for commercial deployment. The project commenced in January 2023, with a focus on demonstrating the technology at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 7–8 in at least three CO2-intensive industries: refining, cement, and materials recycling. These sectors have been chosen due to the absence of viable alternatives toward achieving climate neutrality.
In addition to TCM, the AURORA consortium includes eight members from various industry and research institutions across Europe. In early January, the project members convened in Cambridge, UK, to engage in stimulating brainstorming sessions focused on technical and innovative ideas.
Koteswara Rao Putta serves as the Technical Services Lead & Research Project Coordinator at TCM, representing the company in the consortium overseeing the project. He mentioned, “TCM actively participates in several work packages related to model development, validation, and technology assessments. We are also making planning and preparations for a solvent testing at TCM.”
«The commercial deployment of the CESAR1 solvent faces several challenges. Mainly of an operational nature. In this regard, TCM contributes valuable experiences from our test of CESAR1 conducted three years ago. The project aims to tackle these challenges. By demonstrating the technology’s viability in CO2-intensive industries.»
“The CESAR1 solvent was named after the FP7 CESAR project (2008-2011). In which the aqueous mixture of 2-Amino-2-Methyl-1-Propanol (AMP) and piperazine (PZ) was first studied. Because the CESAR1 solvent repeatedly outperformed the reference MEA solvent technology in pilot tests. Also CESAR1 has good energy performance, low degradation rates. And can achieve very high capture rates and is easier to use in flexible modes. Like most solvent technologies, CESAR1 has the advantage of being easily adaptable to almost any flue gas source.” (Soure: https://aurora-heu.eu/the-project/#cesar-solvent)
«The project will continue to focus on model development, validation, and technology assessments. Solvent testing at the TCM plant will be a critical milestone in assessing the technology’s readiness for commercial deployment in different industries.»
TCM is looking for three new positions. We hope that you will be one of our new colleagues. The deadline for applications is 28 February.
Participate in work, research studies, and process development related to the amine plant and future advanced CO2 capture technologies.
Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) is seeking a Senior CO2 Capture Technologist with focus on management of the preparation and execution of testing campaigns. This is specific for both the TCM Amine Plant and site for emerging technologies. The following shows a list of main activities the CO2 Capture Technologist will be responsible for,
For several years, TCM has been collaborating with various research institutes around the world. The aim is to reduce the technical risk of carbon capture technology and close the technology gap.
We have an active and fruitful collaboration with SINTEF. That includes cooperation in the MEA campaigns, CESAR-1 campaign and AEROSOLV campaign and the upcoming AURORA project.
All campaigns conducted have provided us with significant learning and the results have been shared with the outside world. More than 20 publications have been produced.
Both the MEA and CESAR-1 campaigns have given TCM good references for new technology suppliers to compare themselves with.
SINTEF is an organisation with which we have several relationships, and we are pleased to share the video greeting from Head of Research, Mona Mølnvik.
“SINTEF is one of Europe’s largest research institutes with multidisciplinary expertise in technology, natural and social sciences. SINTEF is an independent foundation that has been creating innovation through development and research assignments for business and the public sector in Norway and abroad since 1950,” writes SINTEF.
You can get an idea of some of SINTEF’s research by listening to their podcast Smart explained.
TCM has learned that attention must be paid to all parts of the capture process. Something that is easy to forget is the effect of capture chemicals and CO2 itself on various materials of construction.
It is not easy to think of all the possible scenarios. For what could happen in a CO2 capture plant. At TCM it has been experienced that capture chemicals, byproducts and CO2 can degrade materials used in the plant. And if you don’t take this into account. It can be very expensive.
TCM’s extensive experience in capture testing with real capture solvents and flue gasses has enhanced understanding of corrosion and material selection. Use of corrosion coupons at several locations throughout the TCM amine plant allows many materials to be tested simultaneously across a range of process conditions.
Through more than 10 years of operation. TCM have seen in various test campaigns that the plant reacts differently. And therefore it can be cost saving to talk to us at TCM if you are planning a capture plant for CO2. – We are happy to share our experiences with handling CO2 in a capture plant, adds our managing director Ismail Shah.
During a test campaign here at TCM using monoethanolamine (MEA). A failure occurred in the reboiler of the amine plant which was caused by a serious damage to the plate heat exchanger (made of AISI 316L stainless steel). The result was a significant loss of material (approx. 200-250 µm reduction in thickness). As well as a leak between the solvent and the heat exchanger. A detailed investigation including laboratory studies on the effect of chemical additives is summarized in the 2022 publication.
TCM learned that during a test period. Critical things can occur at the plant that can have consequences both for the catching process itself and the surroundings. This shows that it is appropriate to test things on a slightly smaller scale before building a full-scale CCS plant as material selection has a large effect on the risk and cost profile.
From corrosion coupon testing during an MEA campaign from 2015, TCM experienced, among other things:
Further work on the corrosion topic with the non-proprietary CESAR1 solvent is planned to be published in 2024, with the latest updates available via this website and our social media.
Would you or someone you know be interested in a job at the Technology Centre at Mongstad? We currently have four vacancies. The deadline for applications is 31 January 2024.
Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) is seeking an experienced Environmental Engineer to join our Technology (TEC) team. As an Environmental Engineer, you will be responsible for assessing, analysing, and mitigating the environmental impacts of our day-to-day operations, projects, and activities. You will work closely with across TCM internal teams, partners, and stakeholders to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and develop sustainable solutions for our operations. The ideal candidate should have a background in chemistry and excellent understanding of monitoring technologies.
Primary scope of responsibilities for Business Development Account Lead;
The position as occupational hygienist/HSE advisor will include;
The position as an office assistant will include:
TCM has meticulously developed a detailed procedure that encompasses the work processes involved in test campaigns. An own process is conducted at both the Amine Plant and the Site for Emerging Technologies.
Rouzbeh Jafari, an advisor at TCM holding a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, specializing in CO2 capture. He emphasizes that “by consistently following these procedures, we ensure the highest quality at all stages, including planning, preparation, execution, and the continuous reporting of results to our customers.”
For those considering a test campaign at the world’s largest and most versatile centre for carbon capture technology testing, gaining insight into the core principles of our working process is just a click away. From the initial contact with TCM to the actual campaign execution. You can listen to an audio file (from the TCM webinar on work processes).
“We believe this resource will prove invaluable to technology developers. Although it may not address every possible query related to a successful test campaign. Therefore, Rouzbeh emphasizes that both the TCM administration and our technical experts are readily available for meetings to answer questions and provide valuable advice and guidance.”
“TCM excels at simulating real-world conditions, offering a test environment that faithfully reflects reality. With over eleven years of operational experience, we have acquired unique knowledge, empowering our clients to successfully undertake full-scale projects. Our operations are grounded in an unwavering commitment to health, safety, and environmental standards, upheld with the utmost dedication. Operating under an emissions permit, we possess unparalleled expertise in emissions monitoring.”
Rouzbeh further emphasizes, “It’s important to note that TCM has earned its well-deserved reputation through a combination of public research, vendor-driven proprietary testing, and the recruitment of an exceptionally qualified workforce with specialized expertise. We invite you to contact us and get in touch.”
Rouzbeh Jafari concludes, “We are here to support you on your journey, and we look forward to working with you.”
Understanding and control of CO2 capture processes during steady operation, start-ups, shutdowns and load changes is critical to enable large scale deployment and operation of CCS.
Through more than 10 years of technology testing campaigns with 24/7 operation. TCM have developed significant learnings and experience in this area predominantly on the flexible amine plant but also on other TCM test sites.
TCM has generated over 20,000 hours of test data with the non-proprietary MEA and CESAR1 amine solvents. True investigating and documenting various phenomena in the capture process. A range of solvent systems, flue gas compositions, process parameters, operating strategies and analysis techniques have been tested to enhance understanding, improve performance and reduce risks and costs associated with CO2 capture. 6 different publications have been published. – We are proud of the experience we have gained and see that our test results are now being used by more and more full-scale actors. And we are more than happy to share our expertise, concludes Ismail Shah, managing director.
The value of having flexible CCS facilities that can handle load changes from power plants becomes greater with a higher proportion of renewables (e.g. solar energy and wind) in the energy supply. Start-up and shutdown cycles of power plants with CCS are becoming increasingly frequent. Which could potentially increase fugitive emissions. While the start-up and shutdown of power plants has been characterized. The effect of start-up and shutdown on CCS plants is still unclear. That is why TCM, together with various partners, has looked at this, among other things.
A series of start-up and shutdown tests were carried out in March, June and November 2020 at the technology centre Mongstad (TCM). In these tests, CESAR-1 was used to capture CO2 from flue gas (~4 mol% CO2) coming out of the natural gas-fired CCGT (combined cycle gas turbine) combined with flue gas from heat and power plant (CHP). These tests provide valuable insight into how key process parameters and operating strategies can help minimize disturbances (e.g. time and energy requirements) and CO2 emissions during startup and shutdown of CO2 capture plants.
Performance improvement can be achieved by:
Source: Evaluating performance during start-up and shut down of the TCM CO2 capture facility (2022)
The quality of the CO2 product stream produced by the capture process, including the levels and types of impurities present. This is an increasingly important topic due to the impact on CO2 transport and storage. This has been reflected in CO2 specifications set by projects such as Northern Lights. In 2018, TCM published a full characterisiation of the CO2 product stream with analysis by Airborne Labs supported by TCM online instrumentation. This also included testing on the effects of solvent degradation and certain process parameters on the quality of the CO2 product stream.
Source: CO2 product quality: assessment of the range and level of impurities in the CO2 product stream from MEA testing at the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) (2018.
Below is an overview of the reports published by TCM and its various partners.
