CO2 Conditioning Technologies: Strategies & Cost Consideration for Commercial Deployment

Overview

Effective management of impurities in CO₂ streams is fundamental to Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) project performance. Varying impurity profiles introduced by fuel type, process conditions, combustion agents and degradation products from capture media create technical and economic challenges for conditioning CO₂ to meet specified CO₂ quality requirements for transport, storage and utilisation. Addressing these challenges requires an integrated approach across the full CCUS chain, covering impurity minimisation at source through fuel, feedstock and process control; appropriate CO₂ conditioning to achieve fit for purpose specifications; materials selection aligned with the expected CO₂ composition and operating envelope; measurement and monitoring at key interface points; and coordination between capture operators, transport network operators, storage providers, utilisation off takers and regulators.. Taken together, these elements highlight the need for robust technoeconomic assessment to inform trade-offs between technical risk, cost and life cycle impacts, particularly in evolving multi-emitter clusters.

Wood was commissioned by IEAGHG to conduct this study, which evaluates CO₂ conditioning technologies and strategies for commercial deployment, focusing on the technical, economic and operational challenges posed by impurities in CO₂ streams. It examines how impurity loads from different sources and capture methods affect conditioning costs, infrastructure, material selection, waste management and compliance with project specifications, and proposes a harmonised methodology to support consistent decision making across CCUS networks.