Petra Nova Carbon Capture Project
Thompsons, Texas
Client: Carbon360 (subsidiary of NRG Energy)
Project Description:
In 2009, NRG Energy selected Sargent & Lundy to support its initiative to backfit utility-scale carbon capture at an operating coal-fired station—WA Parish Unit 8. The Sargent & Lundy team participated throughout the project’s development, including engineering and other technical support for NRG’s application for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant as part of the Clean Coal Power Initiative program (CCPI). Our scope encompassed multiple front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies and integration of the carbon capture technology into the existing systems at the Parish facility. Sargent & Lundy was also the primary author of the topical report required by the DOE at the completion of Phase 1 of the study.
Sargent & Lundy was awarded a subsequent contract by Carbon360 (a subsidiary of NRG Energy) to provide owner’s engineering services and perform detailed design of the slipstream ductwork for the completion of the Petra Nova Carbon Capture Project. Sargent & Lundy supported NRG Energy/Carbon360 throughout its development of this first-time initiative to retrofit an existing coal-fired power plant with commercial-scale carbon capture capability.
In addition to being the first, the project is the largest commercial-scale post-combustion carbon capture retrofit in the world. The captured carbon dioxide (CO2) is compressed and transported through an 82-mile pipeline to the mature West Ranch oil field. Through enhanced oil recovery (EOR), the captured CO2 creates a revenue stream for the project by increasing oil field production. EOR is expected to boost oil production from approximately 500 barrels per day to 15,000 barrels per day. The joint venture of Carbon360 and JX Nippon Oil Exploration Limited built and operates the facility. Construction was contracted to a consortium of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Americas and The Industrial Company (TIC). The facility was placed in operation in late 2016. In 2017, the Petra Nova project was named “Project of the Year” (with JX Nippon) and “Coal-Fired Project of the Year” by Power Engineering magazine.
Schedule Milestones:
- Project start: 2009
- Commercial operation date: 2017
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