JapaneseRenewable energy field20230403
Support for CO2 underground storage and decarbonized city development
Field:
Natural resources and energy business ＞ Renewable energy field
Keyword:
Overview
OYO Corporation is currently participating in a regional decarbonized city development project by utilizing our technology related to the underground storage of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Decarbonization business through local production and local consumption of unused energy
The city of Mikasa in Hokkaido is working to create a decarbonized city by utilizing local resources such as woody biomass and CO2-free hydrogen from coal. The city conducts underground coal gasification (UCG*) of the abundant coal in the region. The hydrogen separated from during UCG is utilized in local industries, while the CO2 generated during UCG is fixed and stored deep underground. By doing so, this initiative aims to create new regional development projects and create a decarbonized city.
*Technology to gasify coal while it is still in the underground coal seam, without the need to mine and remove coal above ground. Specifically, a well is drilled in an underground coal seam to gasify the coal in its original location. Recovery is performed of produced gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methane. The collected gas is used for purposes such as power generation.
Role of OYO Corporation in the project: Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
In the underground coal gasification business, CO2 is also generated during the gasification process. In response, we will implement the carbon neutral countermeasures shown in the figure below.
One of the regional characteristics of the city of Mikasa is closed coal mines. The closed mining sites are used to store CO2 underground, or the cavities created by UCG are
used to store CO2. This creates concerns about problems such as gas generation and groundwater contamination at the coal mine sites. Countermeasures are being planned to
address these issues.
OYO Corporation provides technologies such as the construction of 3D ground models. These technologies are used to organize ground information for evaluating whether the ground is
capable of safe underground CO2 storage, and to select suitable sites.
3D model created by OYO Corporation for estimating storage reservoirs
In addition to producing CO2 in the form of microbubbles, OYO Corporation also participates in awareness campaigns targeting local residents.
