US companies complete world’s largest post-combustion carbon capture project

NRG Energy (NRG) and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation (JX) recently opened Petra Nova, the world’s largest post-combustion carbon capture project, which is located at the W.A. Parish power plant in Thompsons, Texas.

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the competition of the demonstration project last week.

“I commend all those who contributed to this major achievement,” Perry said. “While the Petra Nova project will certainly benefit Texas, it also demonstrates that clean coal technologies can have a meaningful and positive impact on the Nation’s energy security and economic growth.”

The project was originally conceived as a 60-megawatt electric (MWe) capture project funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The project sponsors later expanded the design to capture 240 Mwe.

During performance testing, the system achieved a carbon capture rate of over 90 percent. Petra Nova is expected to capture more than 5,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per day at its current level of operation. The captured emissions will be used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) at the West Ranch Oil Field, which is projected to increase production at the field from 500 to approximately 15,000 barrels per day. West Ranch is estimated to have approximately 60 million barrels of oil recoverable with EOR operations.