Mobile Floating DAC Systems for Deepwater CO2 Sequestration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current carbon capture and sequestration technologies are inadequate for deepwater operations, lacking robust and efficient systems for transferring CO2 from floating structures to subsurface storage formations, and there is a need for mobile offshore units that can operate in various water depths and accommodate different carbon capture technologies.
Innovation Solution
A mobile offshore carbon capture and sequestration unit (MOCCASU) system comprising a floatable hull with CO2 removal units, compressors, and transfer conduits connecting to a second offshore or subsea installation for injecting CO2 into subsurface storage formations, utilizing existing equipment and renewable energy sources for operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If jack-up structures are used for offshore drilling or production, then operations can be conducted in shallow to medium water depths (up to 500 feet), but the system cannot operate in deepwater environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static jack-up structures to a dynamic floating mobile offshore unit that can navigate and position itself in various water depths. The floating hull design allows the unit to operate in deepwater environments where jack-up structures cannot reach, while still providing stable platforms for carbon capture operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating mobile offshore unit is designed as a universal platform that can perform multiple functions: carbon dioxide capture through DAC units, compression of captured CO2, transfer to subsea storage formations, and potential natural gas processing. This multi-functional design replaces the need for separate specialized structures for each function.
2Reliability
If a fixed offshore structure is used for carbon capture, then the system provides stable operation, but the system lacks mobility and cannot be repositioned to different locations
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines the stability needed for reliable carbon capture operations with the mobility to reposition. The floating hull provides a stable platform during operations while the vessel can be towed or self-propelled to different locations, enabling both operational reliability and geographical flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed as a modular floating unit that can be independently deployed and repositioned. The modular design allows the carbon capture facility to be separated from fixed infrastructure, enabling mobility while maintaining operational stability through proper mooring and positioning systems.
3Reliability
If custom-built dedicated carbon capture infrastructure is constructed, then the system is optimized for carbon capture, but the system incurs high capital costs and long development time
Solution Approach 1:
The floating mobile offshore unit is designed as a universal platform that can serve multiple purposes: carbon dioxide capture, compression, transfer to storage, and potentially natural gas processing or other offshore operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for custom-built dedicated infrastructure, thereby lowering capital costs and development time while maintaining carbon capture effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic, adaptable technology rather than static, fixed infrastructure. The floating unit can be deployed more quickly than fixed structures and can be repositioned or repurposed as needs change, reducing both initial capital investment and long-term development costs while maintaining optimized carbon capture performance.
4Adaptability or versatility
If extensive interfacing and integration between multiple systems is implemented, then the system achieves full functionality, but the system complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple functions into a single integrated floating platform: DAC units for carbon capture, compressors for CO2 compression, transfer conduits for transporting CO2 to subsea storage, and potential natural gas processing capabilities. This consolidation reduces the number of separate interfaces and integrations needed compared to having separate fixed structures for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal floating platform design allows a single system to perform multiple functions with standardized interfaces. The platform can handle different operations (CO2 capture, compression, transfer, and potentially gas processing) through common infrastructure, reducing overall system complexity compared to multiple specialized systems requiring extensive inter-facility integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The MOCCASU system enables efficient CO2 capture and sequestration in deepwater environments, reducing operational risks and costs by using modular, scalable designs with redundant components and minimal interfacing, and integrating renewable energy systems.
Implementation Method 1
one or more CO2 removal units configured to remove CO2 from atmospheric air through Direct Air Capture (DAC) and form captured CO2
Implementation Method 2
one or more compressors configured to compress the captured CO2 to a pressure sufficient to transfer the captured CO2 through one or more conduits to the second installation
Implementation Method 3
transferring the captured CO2 through one or more transfer conduits to the second installation or the subsea system
Implementation Method 4
one or more CO2 injection wells configured to inject the captured CO2 into a subsurface storage formation selected from a depleted oil/gas reservoir, a saline aquifer, or other rock strata
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for mobile offshore carbon capture and sequestration operations. One system includes a first floating offshore installation featuring a direct air capture (DAC) unit, carbon dioxide dehydration unit, CO2 compression unit, and transfer system, and a second floating offshore installation featuring carbon dioxide injection facilities to inject carbon dioxide into an underground reservoir. In other systems and methods, a subsea system is substituted for the second floating offshore installation.