INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Given that CO 2 is increasingly toxic at concentrations above 7 %, any failure in such a pipeline could lead to the release of a significant amount of toxic inventory . As with any piece of critical infrastructure , safety for people and the environment is of extreme importance , and it has been suggested in two separate studies that any CO 2 pipeline ’ s emergency shut-off valves should be spaced between three and 15 miles . 12
Aside from emergency shut off valves , a bevy of midstream API 6D pipeline valves will be needed in conjunction with valves for separation facilities and compressors for high pressure pipelines .
There is talk of reviving and retrofitting existing natural gas pipelines . However , as carbon travels at a much higher pressure compared to that of natural gas , the upgrade would be expensive and extra safety precautions would be needed to avoid the pipeline cracking underground . 13
When the carbon arrives at its final destination , the CO 2 needs to be injected deep underground into geological formations . It is commonplace today to use injection wells to accomplish this . Rather than pumping fluid like gas or oil , CO 2 is compressed and pushed deep into the Earth under extreme pressure . This pressure calls for the use of compressors , piping and , of course , valves . 14
Other Types of Carbon Sequestration
As investment ramps up for CCS the technology , at a minimum , shows promise of further development and innovation .
In April 2021 , XPrize , a non-profit organization that creates and hosts public competitions intended to encourage technological development for the benefit of humanity , partnered with Elon Musk to create a competition for the best carbon removal technology . The prizes , totaling $ 100 million , will be awarded to the best carbon negative solutions , with a grand prize being awarded in 2025 . 15
Direct air capture ( DAC ) is an extremely flexible technology that can be used anywhere in the world . DAC combined with storage ( DAC + S ) can capture CO 2 directly from ambient air and store it underground .
Instead of carbon capture and storage , carbon capture utilization ( CCU ) is the process of capturing CO 2 and recycling it for further usage . At this point the principle
Potential storage formations .
IEA , Global pipeline of commercial CCUS facilities operating and in development , 2010-2021 , IEA , Paris https :// www . iea . org / data-and-statistics / charts / global-pipeline-of-commercial-ccus-facilitiesoperating-and-in-development-2010-2021
needs further research and development before it is considered practical from an economic standpoint , though there is hope that CCUS has tremendous room for innovation .
REFERENCES
1 . https :// www . iea . org / countries / united-states 2 . https :// www . energy . gov / fecm / our-budget 3 . https :// ccsknowledge . com / what-is-ccs 4 . srccs _ chapter4-1 . pdf ( ipcc . ch ) 5 . About CCUS – Analysis - IEA
6 . Deep dive : Investment in carbon capture rises as CO2 spikes | Business Chief North America
7 . CCUS in Industry and Transformation – Analysis - IEA 8 . https :// www . pnas . org / doi / 10.1073 / pnas . 1806504115
9 . Net-Zero America project - Rapid Switch - Andlinger Center ( princeton . edu )
10 . https :// jpt . spe . org / co2-pipelines-are-coming-apipeline-safety-expert-says-were-not-ready
11 . ( PDF ) Optimal Valve Spacing for Next Generation CO2 Pipelines ( researchgate . net )
12 . https :// discovery . ucl . ac . uk / id / eprint / 10134836 / 1 / Jianhao Yu final thesis . pdf
13 . N . America ’ s old pipelines seek new life moving carbon in climate push | Reuters
14 . https :// www . ipcc . ch / site / assets / uploads / 2018 / 03 / srccs _ wholereport-1 . pdf
15 . $ 100M Prize For Carbon Removal | XPRIZE Foundation
Forward together – Neles is now part of Valmet
Neles was merged into Valmet on April 1 , 2022 and is now Valmet ’ s Flow Control business line . Valmet now offers an extensive flow control portfolio of industry-leading valves , valve automation solutions and related services , including the renowned Neles , Neles Easyflow , Jamesbury , Stonel , Valvcon and Flowrox solutions .
Valmet is now an even stronger , globally leading company with a unique and competitive offering of process technologies , services , automation systems and flow control solutions for process industries .
Our global team of around 17,000 professionals is committed to moving your performance forward — every day .
For more information , visit valmet . com / flowcontrol www . valve-world-americas . net • September 2022 | Valve World Americas 31