Eirik Romslo Kleppe joined TCM nine years ago and has been an important driver behind sampling and analysis work related to testing campaigns at the facility. “We have developed a high-quality system that maintains a very high standard – I would say it’s world class!”
Very soon Kleppe will be moving on to new and exciting challenges in a new role with Equinor at Sandsli in Bergen.
“How did you first get interested in CO2 capture?”
“It was a bit random. I had a really great job with a company in Stavanger that supplies laboratory services to a range of customers in oil and gas, as well as in other industries. This was where I first got to grips with sampling and analyses, including in connection with test drilling and refining. However, my family were keen to return to the Bergen area, and I spotted the TCM laboratory vacancy and figured it was an interesting opportunity. Working on CO2 capture broke new ground for me in my career and represented an exciting opportunity. I don’t regret making that move one bit.”
“Tell us about your first encounter with TCM?”
“Back in my student days, I had a part-time job working on the quayside at the refinery next door, and from there I was able to track construction of TCM on the adjacent site. But what first struck me when I started working at TCM was not only that the facility is huge, but that it’s also extremely important in winning the fight against climate change. I also noticed that my colleagues were very down-to-earth and felt a great sense of responsibility in relation to the task we are assigned with. There’s a really good atmosphere here.”
“Teamwork has been crucial to the development of a world-class quality system,” says Eirik Romslo Kleppe, pictured here together with his colleague Lina Hrabovska.
Facts
Name: Eirik Romslo Kleppe
Age: 41
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering (Bergen University College) and Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry (University of Bergen)
Marital status: Married with three children
Affiliation to TCM: Senior Laboratory Engineer, May 2014 – April 2023, hired.
“How would you describe your role as Senior Laboratory Engineer?”
“My task has mainly been to take samples in connection with test campaigns and analyse them in the lab – my primary focus has been on emissions. A lot of people think of me as the guy who flies up and down the absorber a lot, but it’s actually my lab work that has required the most time and effort. In the early days, there was no framework for this type of work, so we had to develop hood methods ourselves and document these in the best possible way. Based on the experiences we gained over time, we have established and developed a high-quality system that maintains a very high standard – I would say it’s world class!”
“What’s the most rewarding and interesting work you have done at TCM?”
“Developing methods and continuously making improvements in them is never a one man show. What is particularly exciting and rewarding at TCM is the way people hailing from different professional backgrounds – engineers, academics and skilled workers – come together to discuss and solve various challenges through both a proactive approach and an understanding of what happens in the capture facility during our various tests. This teamwork is absolutely essential to be able to provide technology suppliers with accurate data, as well as for the spread of knowledge from open test campaigns that appear in TCM’s many publications.”
“What would you say has been particularly demanding about your sampling and analysis work?”
“Funny you should ask! You won’t be surprised to hear that the weather gods aren’t particularly accommodating at Mongstad, so sampling work can be very physically demanding. Besides that, situations arise from time to time where customers don’t get the results they wanted or envisioned. When that happens, we have to provide good explanations as to why, which can sometimes entail further tests to underpin our professional approach. You have to be able to tolerate disagreement and discussion, while maintaining an open and professional approach to whatever it is that is difficult or problematic. All that being said, things usually go well!”
“Looking back to TCM’s beginnings in 2012, what do people who used to work at TCM or still do have reason to be proud of?”
“The short and simple answer is that for technology suppliers worldwide it has become a necessary mark of quality to have tested at TCM before introducing their technology to the CCS market. Everyone has confidence in the reliability of our test results.”
“Capturing CO2 is considered to be the most technically complicated and demanding part of the CCS process. In Norway, two capture facilities are now being built: one at Brevik and one at Klemetsrud in Oslo. Have you thought about how TCM can help these projects succeed?”
“Longship is incredibly exciting, and it says a lot about the technology suppliers for the two CCS projects, Aker Carbon Capture and Shell Cansolv respectively, that both have run test campaigns at TCM. The extensive expertise on hand at TCM will be useful when the facilities are commissioned, among other things with regard to measuring and making visible the energy costs that come with CO2 capture on a full scale.”
“TCM have solved several challenges related to amine technology by MEA campaigns, for example amine aerosol emissions, continuous measurements of amine to air, etc. What other technical topics do you think are still lacking testing and good solutions, and how can TCM play an important role in this?”
“There is still much to address, including what happens when flue gas enters a capture facility. The challenge is to ensure that the solvent remains in as good a state as possible for as long as possible. It isn’t only of great importance in terms of the costs associated with CO2 capture but also environmentally. TCM’s expertise undoubtedly has an important role to play.”
“What’s your wish for TCM in the years to come?”
“Over the nine years I have spent at TCM, the team has shown an impressive ability and willingness to develop and change. This has been necessary, both because customers’ demands and expectations have increased, and because the financial framework conditions for the operation have become tighter. My wish and hope is that TCM will continue to have a place in the CCS industry and remain relevant to stakeholders both nationally and internationally. The industry’s task is to help ensure that the green transition is as affordable as possible. For TCM, this means being the driving force in the work to reduce costs when capturing CO2.”
Norway backing Removr’s efforts to industrialise DAC
This will be the first-ever Direct Air Capture (DAC) pilot at Technology Centre Mongstad, Norway, the world’s leading carbon capture technology test center.
Removr, a Norwegian company that develops solutions for removing CO2 directly from the atmosphere, has received NOK 36.3 million in governmental backing for an industrial-scale pilot.
Norway’s first grant to DAC
The backing was provided in the form of an innovation grant from the Norwegian governmental body Enova, and is Norway’s first grant to DAC. Enova is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment and supports the development of energy and climate technology.
“Even with maximum efforts to reduce emissions, we have already filled the atmosphere with such large amounts of greenhouse gases that the greenhouse effect will continue to warm the globe even if emissions go to net zero. It may be necessary to ensure that carbon is removed from the air. We need actors who go ahead and test solutions. I admire Removr for their initiative which can play an important role in the development of technology for carbon removal,” says Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment, Espen Barth Eide (Ap), in a statement to Enova.
Removr’s first industrial pilot at TCM
Removr and it`s technology partner GreenCap Solutions have demonstrated proof of concept through four successful pilots to date. The company follows a stepwise-plan to industrialise DAC and establish market leadership based on its energy-efficient and scalable technology. Removr’s first industrial pilot at TCM will capture 300 tons of CO2 annually from 2024, it will be followed by the company’s first commercial pilot with a capacity of 2,000 tons per year in 2025 and its first large-scale facility with a capacity of 30,000 tons per year in 2027.
The company now works with a number of partners, including SINTEF, Metier, DNV, Citec and Carbfix on its next facilities while developing a concept for what will be the world’s first million-ton DAC facility based on solid sorbent in 2029.
Removr’s DAC technology involves removing CO2 directly from the atmosphere. Removr does this by blowing large amounts of air through a zeolite molecular sieve. When the zeolite is saturated with CO2, it is heated, and the CO2 gas is released so it can be extracted as a separate CO2 stream. The technology has been used for decades in the space industry.
“The support from the Norwegian government through Enova sends a clear signal about the importance of our solution as a pioneering project. We are in a hurry and need to scale the right technologies quickly to reach the 1.5 degree target. Norway has extensive experience in carbon capture and can take a leading position in direct air capture of CO2. Together with TCM, we believe we have an excellent starting point to remove CO2 from the atmosphere”, says Einar Tyssen, CEO of Removr.
The uniqueness of Removr’s technology lies in it being water-free, energy-efficient and able to capture CO2 from low concentrations levels, down to atmospheric concentrations. The process runs entirely on renewable electricity and is flexible when it comes to siting.
“We believe Removr will be able to become a central and preferred technology partner for streams with low CO2 concentrations, both for capture from ambient air and process gas, for example from aluminum works. Enova supports those who go ahead and Removr’s project is very promising in this context”, says marketing director Astrid Lilliestråle at Enova.
First test campaign with DAC at TCM
“We think it is encouraging that Enova has chosen to support Removr to make such a test campaign possible on TCM. Demonstration of technologies and helping to mature them to a level where they can be launched in the market is the purpose of TCM and we can offer unique carbon capture expertise that is globally recognized. This will be our first test campaign with DAC and we look forward to being able to collaborate with yet another technology supplier seeking climate solutions with ground-breaking technology,” says Muhammad Ismail Shah, CEO at TCM.
Removr is a Norwegian Direct Air Capture (DAC) company that aims to scale carbon removal to help reduce global warming. Leveraging the best available technology, unique Nordic advantages, and a world-class team and partners, Removr’s ambition is to build the world’s first 1-million-ton solid sorbent DAC plantto become a global leader in carbon removal.
Removr is owned by Vanir Green Industries (VGI), a Nordic business builder and GreenCap Solutions, a company controlled by the industry group BR Industries. In 2016, the VGI chair, Tore Ivar Slettemoen, founded Freyr Batteries and is still a major shareholder. Removr’s technology is based on Greencap Solutions’ proven and energy-efficient DAC technology. To learn more, please visit removr.no.
About Enova
Enova SF is owned by the Ministry of Climate and Environment. We contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, development of energy and climate technology and a strengthened security of supply. Each year, Enova invests more than NOK 3 billion of public resources in solutions. These solutions help build a green Norway for tomorrow.
Significant breadth and interest in CO₂ technology testing at TCM
We have now featured a total of nine different publications that were presented at GHGT-16 in 2022. There is a lot to take into account if we are to deliver more efficient carbon capture.
Assessment of Erosion-Corrosion as Possible Failure Mechanism of Reboiler at Technology Centre Mongstad
“Being on the forefront of technology development and testing is not without its risks. After experiencing an equipment failure during a testing campaign, Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM DA) joined forces with specialists from the Corrosion Technology Department at the Institute for Energy Technology in Kjeller, to find the cause of the failure. As a result of a successful series of laboratory experiments performed at IFE, a mechanism involving erosion-corrosion was demonstrated to be the likely cause, providing valuable feedback for mitigating measures”, says Attila Palencsár.
During a series of test campaigns for CO2 capture using monoethanolamine (MEA) at the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM), a failure occurred in the reboiler of the amine plant caused by severe damage to the plate heat exchanger made of AISI 316L Stainless Steel. Considerable material loss (ca. 200-250 µm reduction in thickness) including two perforations led to leakage between the solvent and heating fluid sides. Preliminary investigations by TCM revealed that during a test period when oxygen scavenger was injected, a rise in the concentration of metal cations occurred; it was considered very likely that the failure was related to this “scavenger period”. A collaboration was subsequently started with the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) to assess the failure mode of the reboiler plates. As reported earlier elsewhere, three plausible hypotheses were identified: the “erosion” hypothesis considers that erosion alone is sufficient to cause the failure by damaging the passive film from the stainless-steel surface and allowing corrosion attacks to develop even under normal operation conditions (or abrading the steel itself); the “erosion and enhanced corrosivity” hypothesis considers that erosion could remove passivity, but the specific chemistry in the scavenger period is also required to prevent rapid re-passivation and to sustain severe corrosion; the “enhanced corrosivity” hypothesis implies that the specific chemistry in the scavenger period can cause depassivation and sustain a considerably high corrosion rate, even in the absence of erosion. This paper presents the results of laboratory testing to validate the erosion and enhanced corrosivity hypothesis. An experimental setup based on the radial impeller concept was developed around a commercial glass autoclave. Experiments were conducted with used solvent from the TCM plant, simulating i.a. different plant conditions: anoxic rich MEA with an excess of oxygen scavenger and oxygenated rich MEA with scavenger and an excess of oxygen. Significant damage of the stainless-steel specimens occurred with erosive action in a used rich solvent with excess oxygen scavenger (i.e. anoxic conditions). The observations agree with damage of passive film, allowing activation of the corrosion process. The surface likely fails to re-passivate in an anoxic environment. The same mechanism is not sustained in an oxygenated environment where the surface can re-passivate. The results obtained suggest that the erosion and enhanced corrosivity hypothesis is valid and plausible. This mechanism may be the actual failure mode in the TCM reboiler.
Real-time monitoring of 2-amino-2-methylpropan-1-ol and piperazine emissions to air from TCM post combustion CO2 capture plant during treatment of RFCC flue gas
“Removing CO2 from industrial flue gases to mitigate climate change should not come at the cost of our local environment. Amine-based capture can introduce trace pollutants to the treated flue-gas and can potentially cause harm if not adequately controlled. TCM have through many years worked to demonstrate that we can monitor and control these contaminants. In this work, we show that commercially available industrial monitoring equipment can help full scale plants monitor their emissions down to low Parts Per Billion (ppb) concentrations”, says Audun Dragset.
Monitoring and understanding the emissions of pollutants is vital for safe implementation of new industries. To ensure the safe adoption of amine-based post-combustion carbon capture to combat climate change, reliable and accurate monitoring technologies must be available for commercial projects to ensure they can monitor and control any new pollutants that might results from capturing CO2 from an industrial flue gas. As a test site for carbon capture technologies, Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) monitors pollutants emitted in the flue gas via online sampling and analysis as per regulatory requirements. This work presents the first results from a newly installed ion-molecule reaction mass spectrometer (IMR-MS) that was employed during a test campaign with the amine solvent blend of 2-amino-2-methylpropan-1-ol (AMP) and piperazine (PZ) to monitor trace pollutants in the emitted flue gas. The primary pollutants were monitored and reported in real time in the range from 100 ppb (parts per billion) to 10 ppm (parts per million) and compared with extractive isokinetic sampling during a test campaign with an oil refinery cracker gas. The instrument allowed for real-time trending of the amine pollutants AMP and PZ in ppb range, which is the expected range required by regulators for some full-scale plants.
Development of process model of CESAR1 solvent system and validation with large pilot data
“It was great pleasure to work with National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) on the development of process model for CESAR 1 solvent for CO2 capture process. This work is crucial for the deployment of non-proprietary blended solvent system for CO2 capture. I would like to thank NETL team for their major contributions”, says Koteswara Rao Putta.
The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE)-sponsored Carbon Capture Simulation for Industry Impact (CCSI2) is collaborating with Norway’s Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) on the development and validation of a process model of the CESAR1 solvent system for post-combustion carbon capture applications. The CESAR1 solvent, developed through the CO2 Enhanced Separation and Recovery (CESAR) project, is an aqueous blend of 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) and piperazine (PZ) with concentrations of approximately 3 M and 1.5 M, respectively. The process model, developed in the Aspen Plus® software platform, uses thermodynamic and kinetic models from the AMP-H2O-CO2 and PZ-H2O-CO2 system models distributed by Aspen Tech. Enhancements in this work include calibrating the interaction parameters for the AMP-PZ pair with thermodynamic data from the open literature for the AMP-PZ-H2O-CO2 system and updating the reaction kinetics parameters to ensure thermodynamic consistency with the chemical equilibria. The process model is validated with a set of seven steady-state test runs, collected over a wide range of operating conditions at the pilot plant at TCM (12 MWe scale) with natural gas-based combined cycle turbine flue gas (~ 3.5 vol% CO2). The integrated process model developed for the TCM pilot plant includes rate-based models for the CO2 absorption and solvent regeneration processes and predicts key output variables (e.g., CO2 capture percentage, specific reboiler duty) within ± 5% for the validation data set. This paper presents model development and validation work for an initial version of the CESAR1 process model along with discussion of future updates to be made to the model prior to its open-source release.
Opportunities for streamlining CO₂ capture technology
Two new publications released during GHGT-16 in 2022 are now available online. They demonstrate that there are opportunities to enhance energy efficiency, reduce costs and improve the performance of capture facilities.
CO2 capture from SMR type flue gas using CESAR1 solvent at Technology Centre Mongstad
“It was a pleasure working with all co-authors and learning about energy efficiencies that TCM obtained when using CESAR1 solvent when the CO2 concentration, absorber packing height and flow rates were varied while maintaining 90% CO2 capture. We also secured valuable operational experience in the use of CESAR1 solvent,” says Sundus Akhter, CO2 Technologist at TCM.
The Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM DA) in Norway has investigated the CO2 capture performance with the non-proprietary CESAR1 solvent for flue gases with CO2 concentration like that of a SMR (steam methane reforming) furnace. The basis for this investigation is Equinor’s SMR unit at Tjeldbergodden methanol plant. Specific reboiler duty (SRD) is reported for 90% CO2 capture from flue gases with 10 and 15 vol% (dry) CO2 content when using 12 and 18 m absorber packing height. Tests at 10 vol% (dry) CO2 content confirmed that SRD levels below 4 GJ/ton CO2 are achievable with only 12 m absorber packing height, but lower SRD values are achieved with 18 m absorber packing height. This illustrates that a more compact absorber will give lower CAPEX at the expense of a higher heat requirement for the CO2 stripper. During the tests, precipitation was observed in the absorber packing despite that the overall absorber condition were unfavorable for this to occur. Also, foaming in stripper was observed and mitigated by the use of anti-foam.
Multivariate data analysis of online-sensors and spectroscopic data for the prediction of solvent composition parameters for MEA
“The purpose of this project was to build and evaluate predictive models for the TCM carbon capture facility. If successful, the methods used could reduce operational costs and increase the efficiency of carbon capture facilities. The models were built using ‘multivariate data analysis’ on previously recorded data provided by TCM. It was found that some components were possible to model with available data, whereas others would require new measurement instruments to be installed and added to the models,” says Lars Williams, a postgraduate researcher at the University of Bergen.
Cost-effective operation of amine-based post-combustion CO2 capture facilities is important for successfully implementing the technology on a broad industrial scale to reach current climate objectives. Technology Centre Mongstad has benchmarked performance of such technologies in a generic amine plant since 2012. This work utilized historic plant process and laboratory data collected during a test campaign with 2-aminoethan-1-ol (MEA) in 2015. The aim of this work was to employ multivariate analysis to develop models to predict laboratory results for CO2 content (Total Inorganic Carbon) and amine functionalities (total alkalinity) in the amine solvent. Predictive models were made based on process variables alone, spectroscopic data alone and data fusion models. The process model could explain 99% of the variance for total inorganic carbon in the Lean solvent stream. The Rich solvent is more chemically complex and requires the use of spectroscopic data to explain 95-99% of the variance. In this work we demonstrated how multivariate data analysis can be employed to predict solvent parameters that can be reported in real time for improved control of the capture process.
TCM’s GHGT-16 publications are receiving a lot of attention
More than 160 people have downloaded the next two articles that we now present to you readers that were shared during the 16th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference 2022 in Lyon in France.
CESAR1 Solvent degradation and thermal reclaiming results from TCM testing
“Understanding solvent degradation and thermal reclaiming will be important for all future large scale CO2 capture projects and I was very happy contribute to this paper,” says Matthew Campbell, Technology manager at TCM.
The Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM DA) in Norway has investigated degradation and amine losses for the non[1]proprietary solvent CESAR1 which is a mixture of water, amino-2-methylpropanol (AMP) and piperazine (PZ). Results have been explored during the ALIGN CCUS testing campaign which utilized the combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) based heat and power plant (CHP) flue gas with an inlet CO2 concentration around 3.7 vol%. It has been demonstrated that there is a significant impact on amine losses through degradation when the inlet NO2 concentration entering the CO2 absorber is increased. The increase in NO2 concentration in the flue gas resulted from Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) operation with no ammonia injection. Degradation results have also been shared for the residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) flue gas from the Equinor refinery with an inlet CO2 concentration around 13.5 vol%. Due to the impurities in the RFCC flue gas higher amine losses through degradation are observed compared to CHP flue gas testing. Also, amine losses through degradation for CESAR1 solvent were compared against historical TCM results for monoethanolamine (MEA). The results indicate significantly lower amine losses for CESAR1 as compared to MEA for both CHP and RFCC flue gases. Thermal reclaiming has also been performed on the aged CESAR1 solvent and effective operation was achieved with acceptably low amine losses during semi-continuous reclaiming operation. Future testing at TCM in the laboratory and full-scale plant are planned to have a better understanding of the major causes for amine solvent degradation.
Development of CO2 capture process cost baseline for 555 MWe NGCC power plant using standard MEA solution
“It was wonderful experience to work with AspenTech for the developing CO2 capture process cost baseline using non-proprietary MEA solvent. Thorough discussions and working sessions with AspenTech experts together with 10 years of practical operational knowledge at TCM helped in formulating the methodology for cost estimation of CO2 capture process which is helpful for academic and industrial professionals in developing reliable project costs. I would like to thank AspenTech for their valuable contribution,” says Koteswara Rao Putta, CO2 Capture Technologist at TCM.
Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is essential to achieve Net-zero emissions targets. The IEA sustainable development scenarios also emphasize the importance of CCUS. Post-combustion CO2 capture using amine solvents is the most mature technology among several options available and amine-based CO2 capture projects have been demonstrated at industrial scale. Several new vendors and technology developers are working on multiple innovative and advanced CO2 capture concepts. Industrial clients, project developers targeting the CO2 capture projects in their facilities require reliable and updated costing information using non-proprietary solvents to develop investment strategies, portfolios and evaluate the commercial project bids for CO2 capture. The CO2 project cost estimation depends on several factors like solvent used, amount of flue gas treated, accuracy of the simulation tool/model used for designing the CO2 capture plant, quality and size of experimental pilot data used for model validation, accurate representation of the capture facility while keeping the columns hydraulics suitable for practical operation, consideration of space requirements for column internals, design of plate heat exchangers and other packaged items like filter package and reclaiming units. Domain knowledge and practical operational experience are also crucial to perform the study. Selection of appropriate material of construction also plays a key role in accuracy of cost estimation. Technology Centre Mongstad’s 10 years of operational knowledge and experience together with AspenTech’s expert team worked together to perform a reliable and accurate costing exercise by considering all essential elements of CO2 capture process and project. The key finding from the current costing baseline study are columns material costs found to account for 63% of total CO2 capture process equipment material costs and absorber alone accounts for 45% of these total equipment material costs. The total capital expenditure for capturing 90% CO2 from 555 MWe Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) power plant using aq. 30 wt% MEA solvent is estimated to be around 326.6 Million USD. Annual total operating costs are estimated to be 47 Million USD. Assuming 25 years of plant life, the cost of CO2 capture is calculated to be 47 USD/ton.
Gerard Lombardo retires from TCM
Gerard Lombardo has been a key person in the operation of TCM since the test facility was opened in 2012.
Over the years, the knowledgeable and approachable Frenchman has found solutions to countless technical complications – an effort that both customers, partners and colleagues have benefited from. But now he is retiring and is looking forward to his new life.
Gerard Lombardo is probably the person in Norway who has the most knowledge about capturing CO2 and a key figure for TCM. Now he will retire.
– What was the background for your interest in CO2 capture?
– I have worked with chemistry and chemical processes throughout my career. In 2007, I was hired as a consultant by Gassnova to participate in the project for CO2 capture from the gas power plant at Kårstø and was employed by the company two years later. The task then was planning of full-scale capture of the refinery at Mongstad. As is well known, nothing came of these projects, but I was nevertheless «hooked». So, when I was asked to be process engineer for the technology centre, it was easy to accept the offer.
– How was your first meeting with TCM?
– I came to Mongstad for the first time a few months after the opening of TCM in 2012 and was impressed by what I saw. During the first couple of years, I commuted from my home in Larvik on a weekly basis. The first task was to assist Alstom in their test campaign at the chilled ammonia plant, which was both demanding and educational. Thereafter, I’ve been involved as an advisor in the planning and execution of the campaigns that have been carried out at the amine plan, as well as all modifications to the plant that have been necessary along the way. It’s been many long days with challenges that needs to be solved, but it’s been very rewarding and interesting.
– What will you highlight as the most rewarding and interesting work you have taken part in at TCM?
– When I look back, it is our ability to continuously solve all the technical problems that have arisen when testing different solvents, that has given me the greatest pleasure. Capturing CO2 is complicated, and problems often occur. Solving these within strict emissions requirements while providing learning and results for the technology suppliers, requires a profound understanding of the nature of the flue gases and the different processes. When deviations occur, the reasons must be analysed, and the errors corrected immediately so that the campaign can continue and be completed within the time frame. The feedback we receive from our customers shows that the TCM-team’s ability to hands-on problem solving is highly valued. I don’t think anyone has left Mongstad being disappointed by our efforts.
Gerard Lombardo was praised and thanked for his efforts during an event for all employees at TCM.
Name: Gerard Lombardo
Age: 68
Education: Master of Science in Chemistry, University of Lille
Marital status: Married, three children, two grandchildren
Affiliation to TCM: Process engineer 2012 – 2023, seconded from Gassnova
Present position: Pensioner from 1 February 2023
– Over the years, four scientific MEA campaigns have been carried out at TCM. What significance have these had for the development of projects for the capture and storage of CO2 on a full scale?
– The fact that TCM, in addition to carrying out test campaigns for suppliers of proprietary solvents, also have had the ability and resources to carry out open, scientific campaigns have been very important for the development of CCS as a tool in the fight against climate change. This is because the results of the experiments with both MEA and CESAR1, which have been documented and published, have provided important learning and references for anyone concerned with developing cost-effective solvents for capturing CO2. Through these campaigns we have learned that both MEA and CESAR1 have their clear weaknesses and limitations. Therefore, both research institutions and industry must work hard to develop alternatives with greater utility. I would also like to add that the owner-financed campaigns also helped strengthen TCM’s international status and credibility, and thus helped to increase the number of suppliers who wants to conduct tests with us.
– In general, looking back since the start in 2012, what do people that worked at TCM, or are still working there, have reason to be proud of?
– For me, as a Frenchman, it’s a paradox and almost a fairy tale that Norway, a small nation with relatively minor emission problems, chose to build the world’s largest and most flexible test facility at almost full scale. It should have happened in large countries with a lot of industry based on coal power. But Jens Stoltenberg, and other politicians with him, had a vision, and were confident that the industrial and technical expertise in Norway could realize the construction and operation of a technology centre with an international format. The risk of failing was very high, but history shows that we have managed it – and everyone involved should be proud!
– In regard to CCS, capturing CO2 is considered the most technically complicated and demanding part of the process. In Norway, two capture facilities are now being built, one in Brevik and one at Klemetsrud in Oslo. How can TCM help these projects succeed?
– The technology suppliers, Aker Carbon Capture to Heidelberg Materials (Heidelberg Materials) in Brevik and Shell Cansolv to Hafslund Oslo Celsio, have both conducted tests at TCM, and I feel confident that the projects will capture the expected volumes. However, as in all projects with new technology, there may start-up problems. Remember that it’s people, and not machines, who constructs. Errors must therefore be expected. TCM will however, be able to contribute with training of personnel who will operate the facilities and advise on modifications that may prove necessary.
– CO2 capture technology is mature enough to be used, but there is still a need for significant cost reductions so that the technology can be used more broadly. How can TCM contribute to this?
– I mentioned the public- and research-based campaigns TCM have conducted with MEA. In short, these tests have demonstrated that this solvent can be suitable for full-scale use, but it’s demanding both due to efficiency and costs. The CCS industry needs therefore a new reference-solvent for use in full-scale capture facilities, such as CESAR1. In my opinion, no one is closer to developing and testing this than TCM.
– TCM have solved several challenges related to amine technology by MEA campaigns, for example amine aerosol emissions, continuous measurements of amine to air, etc. What other technical topics do you think are still lacking testing and good solutions, and how can TCM play an important role in this?
– Going from testing a solvent at TCM to continuous operation at a full-scale plant is demanding. The CCS industry lacks a good tool to create satisfactory simulations of how the process for capturing CO2 from a point emission will unfold. Development of a good simulation tool is one of several technical tasks TCM can work on.
– You are probably the person in Norway with the deepest knowledge of important factors for CO2 capture. When full-scale capture facilities are put into operation, to what degree do you think the professional community are able to contribute with solutions for the technical challenges that will arise?
– Over the past 10 – 15 years, in large part thanks to TCM, applicable capture technologies based on amine technology have been developed for full-scale use, of which the projects in Longship are examples. The professional environment, both in Norway and internationally, have good conditions for contributing with solutions to the technical challenges that will arise. However, the main challenge is that the planning and realization of capture and storage on a full scale, is still far too slow for CCS to fulfil its intended role in combating the excessively high emissions in the world. In my opinion, it’s mainly related to construction costs. The lengthy processes associated with political discussion and decision-making, planning, and then construction of facilities, is in themselves very cost-driving. If you managed to get what now takes at least five years, done in three, the total costs would have been far more advantageous – and given industries with high emissions an incentive to start taking measures much faster.
– What is your wish for TCM in the years to come?
– I have mentioned some specific tasks of a technical nature that I hope TCM will have the opportunity to work on. I am convinced that those who see business opportunities in the development of technologies for capturing CO2 will still need to carry out tests. This applies to improvements to mature technologies as well as the development of completely new ones – where TCM offers first-classes facilities at the Site for emerging technologies. But all this presupposes that the Norwegian authorities, together with the industrial owners, continue to show the will and courage to provide TCM the financial basis needed for continuing operation. I’m now withdrawing and becoming a pensioner. However, if someone from TCM calls and asks for help with a technical problem, I won’t hesitate to answer the phone, says Gerard Lombardo with a smile.
Results from CESAR1 testing at the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM)
This paper was published at 16th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference 2022 and is now available online. Already 218 abstract views and 37 downloads
“Results from CESAR1 testing at the Technology Centre Mongstad. Verification of Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC) baseline results”
“In collaboration with EPRI, TCM have produced this latest entry in a series of independently verified performance baselines from the TCM amine plant. This new baseline, using the non-proprietary CESAR1 solvent and the RFCC flue gas from the neighboring refinery, can be used as a benchmark for capture system performance– useful for technology developers, researchers and academia,” says Blair McMaster, Deputy Technology Manager at TCM.
Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM DA) was established in 2012 to test, verify, and demonstrate different post-combustion capture (PCC) of carbon dioxide technologies. The company is a joint venture between Gassnova (on behalf of the Norwegian state), Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies with a common vision for testing and research and development of carbon capture for the deployment of large-scale carbon capture. The facility is located next to the Equinor refinery in Mongstad, Norway and is provided flue gas from a nearby combined cycle gas turbine-based heat-and-power (CHP) plant as well as residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) flue gas from the refinery. The CESAR1 solvent, developed in the EU CESAR project, was utilized for the first time at TCM for the ALIGN CCUS (Accelerating Low Carbon Industrial Growth Through Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage) project test campaign in 2019.
CESAR1 solvent is a blend of 27% wt 2-amino-2-methylpropan-1-ol (AMP) and 13% wt piperazine (PZ). This solvent is considered a better solvent than monoethanolamine (MEA) in terms of thermal energy performance and stability (lower degradation) and has been proposed by the IEAGHG as their new benchmark solvent. TCM DA carried out baseline testing of CESAR1 solvent in June 2020 using flue gas from the CHP source, controlled at 5% CO2 to simulate state of the art gas turbine flue gas, and continued with additional testing that lasted into late 2020 using flue gas from the RFCC source that has higher CO2 concentration.
The main objectives of these campaigns were to produce knowledge and information that can be used to reduce the cost as well as technical, environmental, and financial risks of commercial-scale deployment of PCC using the CESAR1 solvent. This includes the establishment of an RFCC baseline performance with CESAR1 solvent. The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. assessed the performance of the CESAR1 process using an independent verification protocol (IVP) previously developed for TCM DA during CHP baseline testing MEA solvent. The IVP was also previously updated for use with the RFCC flue gas as this gas contains 13–14% CO2 content whereas the CHP flue gas has ~3.5% CO2 content by volume.
The IVP provides a structured testing procedure for assessing the thermal and environmental performance of PCC processes under normal operating conditions. During the RFCC testing, TCM DA manually collected extractive samples from the depleted gas outlet and the product CO2 outlet throughout the testing period. As part of the IVP, EPRI also assessed plant critical instrumentation at TCM DA for accuracy and precision error based on a comparative analysis during testing operations and against calibration checks. The CESAR1 baseline process was evaluated during twelve individual test periods over three days in November 2020. During the tests, extractive samples were taken to measure process contaminants such as aldehydes, ketones, amines (AMP/PZ), and ammonia.
The extractive sampling and associated analysis techniques applied were consistent with the IVP recommendations. Sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides were continuously monitored using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyzers on the depleted flue gas and the product CO2 streams. Multiple measurements of the CO2 concentration (FTIR, non-destructive infra-red, and gas chromatography) are available at TCM allowing comparative confirmation of test period stability. The capture rate was calculated via four methods. CO2 recovery (mass balance) was evaluated, and the thermal performance (energy consumption) was assessed based on measured data taken during the tests.
The CO2 capture rate achieved during the testing was about 91%, providing specific reboiler duties (SRD) of 3.2–3.3 GJ/t-CO2 and the CO2 gas mass balance closures were close to 100%. These data and assessments, along with the results from TCM DA sampling during these tests, will be presented in this paper and provide a baseline case for CESAR1 solvent in higher concentration flue gas capture cases.
– Being manager of TCM was a great job
– I had been out of work for a few months when the position of managing director at TCM was advertised. My impression was that the business at the technology center was interesting and very meaningful, and I was very happy when I got the offer.
The expectations I had when I started were met. Being the manager of TCM was a great job.
Roy Vardheim was TCM’s managing director from March 2015 to August 2017. He then became director of the TCM department in Gassnova, and with it also the company’s chairman, until he became CEO of Gassnova in February 2021. Vardheim has broad management experience from several companies, including as CEO of Norske Skog Saugbrug and Borealis. He also has international senior management experience from Borouge in the Middle East and BIS in Scandinavia. Vardheim will retire during the coming year.
Roy Vardheim was Managing Director at TCM 2015 – 2017 and thereafter the company’s Chairman until 2021.
– How was your first meeting with TCM?
– I had never been to Mongstad before I arrived on Monday 2 March 2015. Then I felt the joy of coming back to work and getting to know many pleasant colleagues. As a weekly commuter I got myself a good place to live in Austrheim, and could spend long days at work. The field of work was completely new to me, and I naturally took some time to getting to understand the business. I was used to the role of top manager, but the slightly strange «shop» in the borderland between research and industry was new and exciting. The work also gave me insight into political processes and dialogue with authorities, which I later benefited from in my work in Gassnova.
– What will you highlight as the most rewarding and interesting work you took part in at TCM?
– This was a period when we had to be inventive and creative to maintain steady activity at the plant. Bjørn-Erik Haugan took office at TCM about the same time as me as head of business development, and the efforts in relation to the US Department of Energy (DoE) to secure financial assistance to US technology developers were to prove very important for TCM. Among other things, it led to ION Clean Energy carrying out a test campaign in 2016 – 2017. The company was led by Buz Brown, a delightful guy who boasted freely of the facilities and expertise of TCM. We took advantage of that by producing a video that is constantly used in marketing on the website; tcmda.com.
– Then I also remember the joy we felt in 2017 at having succeeded in getting Total into TCM as a new owner. The company thus gained three equal industrial owners; Equinor, Shell and Total, which has certainly been a plus. The level of conflict between the owners had at times been quite high and thus demanding for us who managed the company, but in recent years this relationship has been characterized by far greater harmony and constructive cooperaton.
Name: Roy Vardheim
Age: 66
Education: MSc, Chemical Engineering, NTNU
Marital status: Gift
Afiliation with TCM: Managing Director from March 2015 – August 2017, seconded from Gassnova. Chairman at the Board, August 2017 – February 2021
Present position: CEO at Gassnova SF
– You left your job at TCM to become head of the TCM department and later CEO of Gassnova. What would you highlight as the three most important results from 10 years of operation at TCM for Gassnova?
– For Gassnova, the management of the state ownership in TCM is a main task. All in all, I think we have solved this in a good way. We have brought in a new industrial owner in addition to the two who were involved from the beginning, and have thus contributed to consolidating TCM’s status and position as a company were both the Norwegian state and the industry take responsibility for business and operations. Furhermore, we have succeeded in getting more and more external technology customers to use the facility. Finally, I would like to highlight the strategically important decision to establish a separate test area for new capture technologies, the Site for emerging technologies, which we now see attracting developers of exciting technologies, and which can be of great importamce for future CCS projects.
– When you generally look back on 10 years of business at TCM, what do people that worked at TCM or still are working there have particular reason to be most proud of?
– With the history of the establishment of the technology centre, it was not at all given that TCM would be a success. In Norway, the «moon landing at Mongstad» cast dark shadows over the business for a long time, and made it difficult to explain that testing of capture technologies is a prerequisite and tool for success with CCS. However, the staff at TCM were able relatively quickly to create positivity about the plant and their own expertise in professional circles internationallly. For foreign suppliers, testing at Mongstad has become a necessary «mark of nobility» in the marketing of their technologies, and gradually the reputation of TCM has also improved much here in our country. Most people now understand that the Longship project would hardly have seen the light of day in its current form if TCM had not existed. The current government has also been very clear that TCM was the right investment at the right time. Everyone who has been involved in the operation therefore has much to be proud of.
– What is your wish for TCM the next ten years?
– The current operation period for TCM ends in December next year, and in Gassnova we are now working intensively to create a common understanding between the industrial owners and the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy on the basis for a new agreement for operation the company. We definitely believe that there is a need for TCM in the coming years as well. But because this must partly be clarified and decided politically, neither I nor others in Gassnova can advance the content of a final decision. What I can say is that together with the management of TCM we are doing our best to supply the authorities and the other owners with all the information they request, and then we can only hope for a good result.
Roy Vardheim at the celebration of 10 years operation of TCM in May this year. Here together with Secretary General in the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Andreas Eriksen.
– A promising year for CCS
– 2022 has been an eventful and promising year, not only for TCM – but for investment in carbon capture and storage as an important part of the climate battle in large parts of the world.
We believe that the coming year will be at least as developing and interesting, says Muhammad Ismail Shah, Managing Director of Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM).
He took over as manager in February and has led the company through a year characterized by high activity at the test facility, frequent participation in conferences and professional events, as well as celebration of TCM’s 10-year anniversary.
– In 2022, we have again been able to meet customers, partners and governmental officials face to face. It is important, both to explain what plans we have for development at TCM and to form an impression of what the industry in Norway and abroad is thinking and doing to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases. My overall impression is that both the ability and willingness to invest in CCS as an important part of the climate solution has increased considerably, while at the same time the desire and need for cost-effective technologies to make this happen is very great. At TCM, we will contribute to this by carrying out a number of campaigns for testing and verification of both mature and complete new technologies for capturing CO2.
In the anniversary year, TCM has had a great many visitors from both Norway and abroad. Among those who have been briefed on the business is Conservative Party leader and former Prime Minister Erna Solberg, here in a conversation with Muhammad Ismail Shah.
70 CCS-projects in Europe
This autumn, TCM has, among other things, participated in the CCS conference in Bremen, Germany. Here it emerged that 70 CCS projects are currently in process in Europe in various phases – more than twice as many as the previous year. The EU’s innovation fund is investing in eleven projects, and in the UK four projects, which are expected to capture and store 20 – 30 million tonnes of CO2 annually, will receive 1 billion pund in support by 2030. In the US, the Biden administration has significantly expanded government support, where more than 12 billions of dollars are earmarked for various programs. Japan and China also provide extensive support to companies promoting CCS technology. In total, more than 20 countries worldwide now have CCS projects underway.
Longship shows the way
– In Norway, construction of facilities at Heidelberg Materials’s cement factory in Brevik is underway. Aker Carbon Capture delivers capture technology which has been tested at TCM. Hafslund Oslo Celsio has started building its carbon capture plant in connection with the waste and heat recovery plant at Klemetsrud in Oslo, with capture technology from Shell Cansolv. This has also been tested by us at TCM. The Longship project shows the way, also because it includes ground-breaking solutions for the transport and storage of CO2 on the Norwegian continental shelf. The fact that Yara has this year entered into an agreement with Northern Lights to store 800,000 tonnes of CO2 annually from a factory in the Netherlands on commercial terms – without governmental subsidies – shows that the industry is not only aware of its climate responsibility, but also sees its benefits in investing in CCS rather than having to pay dearly for its emissions.
Shell Cansolv to test for the third time
American RTI International ended earlier this autumn a six-month test campaign at the amine plant at Mongstad. After the test at TCM, the company has entered into a partnership with Schlumberger, which will commercialize RTI’s NAS technology. A new test campaign at the amine plant is now being prepared.
– It is Shell Cansolv that is coming to TCM for the third time to test a new solvent the company has developed. The test starts in the new year and the campaign will run throughout the spring. This shows that suppliers of mature technologies for use in imminent CCS projects still need to qualify such technologies for commercial use. There is fierce competition among the suppliers to offer solvents that provide the greatest possible CO2 capture, low emissions and at the lowest possible price, and to document this they must carry out tests under almost full-scale conditions with flue gas with a CO2 content that can be adjusted from about approx. 1 percent up to 20 percent. In this way, the test is adapted to the conditions in which the technology is intended to be used, for example in connection with the production of cement or steel, or for handling emissions from the incineration of waste. We are in dialogue with several recognized technology companies, several of whom have the same needs as Shell Cansolv, and who want to carry out tests with us during the coming year.
– This shows that TCM is still a necessary stop for the development of commercial solutions for capturing CO2. We don’t believe that this need will diminish as carbon capture and storage now becomes an industry in large parts of the world. There will continuously be room for improvements to the technologies based on the experience gained in the projects, and for that the suppliers need a large test facility like ours and the expertise we offer to be able to test what works best, without being disturbed.
New catch technologies are coming
At the same time as the refinement of «ready-to-cook» technologies for capturing CO2 from large point emissions in industry, there is a lot of activity going on to develop next-generation capture technologies, including with membranes and sorbents.
– This year, TCM has hosted two American companies, MTR and TDA Research, who have tested their technologies in our area for new trapping technologies, says Shah.
– In 2023, the plan is to carry out test of technologies that are part of a research project financed by the EU, with SINTEF Energi and TCM as assistants. We also get indentation from the company InnoSepra, which is developing a technology with support from the US Department of Energy. In other words, the activity level at TCM is very high – and we like it!
– There is only one NASA – and only one TCM
– TCM has facilities and expertise in the capture of CO2 which will both be of great importance for the leap that the industry in Nordhordland is now taking into the green shift, and above all for Norway’s position and reputation as a leader in the climate fight.
When Americans boast that there is only one NASA, we must be able to proudly say the same about TCM.
Baste Tveito is general manager of Nordhordland Næringslag and Einar Vaage works in Industriutvikling Vest as manager of the project Greenspot Mongstad. The organizations work together to faciltate industrial development in Nordhordland, a region with seven municipalities and close to 50,000 inhabitants.
– Over the past 50 years, a broad industrial environment linked to oil and gas has been established in the region, with the Mongstad refinery as a natural centre. People are pleased with the industry because it provides work for many and ensures the welfare of all who lives here. In contrast to many other industrial environments in Norway, the economic conditions for what we do have been stable and good. Thus, we have been able to build «stone on stone» and gradually develop the companies and society, Tveito points out.
– When the Americans boast that there is only one NASA, we must be able to proudly say the same about TCM, Baste Tveito and Einar Vaage believe.
Ready for the «washing machine»
– But now it’s our turn for a round in the «washing machine», emphasizes Vaage. – To say that what we are facing is a revolution is a bit dramatic, while evolution is a bit too weak. Something in between is the most covering. It is about companies with significant emissions having to be converted, and that all new businesses to be established at Mongstad must capture and store their CO2 emissions. In this work, the outstanding expertise that TCM represents will be of great importance.
TCM was among the initiators of Greenspot Mongstad. The project aims to turn the area with Norway’s largest supply base, busiest port and largest refinery into a versatile, green industrial park. There are already around 60 companies in the area with 2,400 jobs. If all the planned pieces fall into places, there will be many more.
A hydrogen factory next?
An important key will be the realization of the project for the construction of a facility at Mongstad Industripark for the production of blue hydrogen as energy for ships and industrial production in the area.
– The plans for large-scale production will make it attractive to several larger industrial companies that seize the opportunity and establish themselves near the planned hydrogen factory. The dialogues have started, but are still in an early phase, says Einar Vaage.
Hot water from the refinery to be used
But the green shift at Mongstad encompasses far more than production of liquid hydrogen for energy. Today, significant energy resources are being wasted when hot water from Equinor’s refinery is discharged into the Fensfjorden. By having this water instead piped through a tunnel to the industrial area, existing buildings can be heated alternatively, while at the same time opportunities are created for establishing the production of biogas, fish farming on land and the production of feed based on fish waste. Wind turbines on asphalt are also included in the feasibility study prepared by Equinor, Eviny, ABP and Alver municipality.
– These projects are already in process, and will not entail any further interventions in nature than those done previously. The hot water from the refinery is transformed into an energy output of 85 megawatts, which places the plant on the list of the ten largest power plants in Norway. In this way, other renewable energy that companies in the area currently use is also freed up for alternative use.
Baste Tveito is general manager of Nordhordland Næringslag.
Einar Vaage works in Industriutvikling Vest as manager of the project Greenspot Mongstad.
Needs expertise on carbon capture
However, Baste Tveito and Einar Vaage emphasize that an important prerequisite for success with the green shift for the industry at Mongstad is expertise in capturing CO2.
– But we are in the fortunate situation that we have TCM, which for over ten years has tested both mature and brand new technologies for technology suppliers from all over the world at its plant at Mongstad. This environment thus has the very best prerequisites for also being able to assist industrial developers locally when they have to make their choices to reduce and remove carbon emissions. The business at the technology centre moves in the borderland between research and realizaton of full-scale capture projects, an expertise the industry will obviously want to make more use of. If the utility value of TCM’s activities so far has been limited for the industry in Nordhordland, it is – with the existing plans – obvious that their expertise will be very important in the future.
Important that TCM has good framework conditions
– Those of us who have followed TCM from the sidelines since its inception in 2012 are also impressed by how the company has developed. From operating with significant government support, the business has been adapted to a reality which means that actors who come to use the facility must pay much more of the cost having their trapping technologies tested and verified. This is a correct development now that CCS is finally becoming an industry that will serve a commercial market.
– At the same time, politicians must not become so eager to save money that they ignore the reputation TCM has gained internationally as a leading test center and professional environment with cutting-edge expertise on carbon capture. Remember that in the United States, NASA’s space exploration is supported by the federal government with well over 20 billion USD annually. If we are to succeed in the at least equally important fight against global warming, both the world, Norway and we in Nordhordland will need TCM for many years to come, conclude Baste Tveito and Einar Vaage.
