| Project Detail |
REMEDY (Reducing Emissions of Methane Every Day of the Year) aims to reduce methane emissions from three sources in the oil, gas, and coal value chains: (1) exhaust from 50,000 natural gas-fired lean-burn engines used to drive compressors, generate electricity, and increasingly repower ships, (2) the estimated 300,000 flares required for safe operation of oil and gas facilities, and (3) coal mine ventilation of air and methane exhausted from 250 operating underground mines. These sources are responsible for at least 10% of U.S. anthropogenic methane emissions. Reducing emissions of methane, which has a high greenhouse gas warming potential, will ameliorate climate change. The intent is to de-risk and identify economies of scale for the proposed systems so they can advance to commercialization.
Project Innovation + Advantages:
Colorado State University (CSU) and Caterpillar will develop technology to reduce methane emissions from lean-burn natural gas engines by reducing methane ventilation through the crankcase, the engine base that contains the crankshaft and integrates other engine components. Methane that leaks past the ring and valve seals during compression and combustion enters the crankcase and is usually vented to the atmosphere. The team proposes a system that would capture the crankcase methane, treat it, and reroute it back to the engine intake where it would be re-ingested and combusted. This would simultaneously reduce methane emissions and improve engine efficiency. The team will first perform baseline laboratory tests to determine the amount of methane that leaks through the crankcase. The goal is to reduce the emissions from crankcase gas by at least 75%.
Potential Impact:
REMEDY addresses methane emissions from domestic oil, gas, and coal value chains, accounting for 78% of U.S. primary energy. |
