Direct Air Carbon Capture: Challenges and Innovations for the Oil and Gas Industry

Understanding the Current State of DACC, Its Potential, and Why CC&C’s Innovations Are Leading the Way 

Note – This article originally appeared in Dec 2024 Petroleum Products And Solutions Vol 7, No 7

The Need for Innovative Solutions 

Despite substantial investments in carbon capture, including $518 million in recent Department of Energy (DOE) funding, traditional methods such as CCUS are proving insufficient in the fight against climate change. Oil and gas operations are currently responsible for about 15% of global energy-related emissions, equating to roughly 5.1 billion tons of greenhouse gases (GHG). This underscores the need for innovative solutions like Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC). 

Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC): An Overview 

DACC is a technology designed to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the atmosphere. Unlike conventional Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technologies, which capture CO₂ at industrial point sources, DACC aims to reduce the existing concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere. This flexibility makes DACC an important tool for achieving net-negative emissions by capturing carbon that has already been released. 

Current State and Challenges of DACC 

However, DACC is still evolving. Currently, the technology faces several challenges, including high energy requirements that limit overall carbon efficiency unless renewable energy sources are used. The cost of DACC remains high, with estimates ranging between $300 to $600 per ton of CO₂ captured, which makes large-scale adoption difficult for the oil and gas industry. Additionally, scaling DACC to capture meaningful volumes of CO₂ at a competitive cost remains a significant hurdle. Despite these challenges, DACC offers unique opportunities for carbon removal that complement traditional CCUS. Its ability to capture CO₂ from ambient air allows deployment across urban, industrial, and remote areas, providing the versatility that point-source technologies lack. 

DACC Applications in Oil and Gas 

In the oil and gas sector, one promising application of DACC is its role in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). DACC can support EOR by supplying captured CO₂ for injection into oil reservoirs. This approach not only aids in oil extraction but also provides a way to store CO₂ underground, thereby helping to offset emissions from extraction processes. By capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere, DACC can also help reduce emissions in oil production, refining, and distribution, aligning with the industry’s environmental goals and regulatory standards. 

Shortcomings of DACC 

While DACC has significant potential, there are clear shortcomings. Extracting CO₂ from ambient air requires substantial energy, making it less efficient compared to point-source capture, particularly without renewable energy integration. Furthermore, the current cost per ton of CO₂ captured is too high to be economically viable for many applications in the oil and gas sector without subsidies or incentives. Large-scale deployment of DACC also involves overcoming logistical challenges, such as finding suitable sites and ensuring the necessary infrastructure is in place. 

CC&C’s Hybrid Approach 

To address these challenges, Carbon Capture & Commercialization (CC&C) is developing a hybrid approach that combines DACC with point-source capture, focusing on the commercialization of captured CO₂. By capturing CO₂ at both point sources and from ambient air, CC&C aims to create a more economically viable and scalable solution for carbon reduction in the oil and gas industry. Integrating point-source carbon capture with DACC helps reduce overall energy consumption and costs. Point-source capture is more efficient for concentrated emissions, while DACC addresses diffuse and legacy emissions. 

Commercial Utilization of Captured CO₂ 

Instead of solely focusing on sequestration, CC&C is pioneering ways to commercialize captured CO₂ by using it in applications such as EOR, concrete production, and other industrial processes. This approach not only reduces emissions but also creates a revenue stream that offsets the cost of capture. CC&C’s modular units are designed for flexibility, allowing deployment in various environments, from industrial sites to urban areas, strategically placing units for maximum impact and enhancing the feasibility of carbon capture for oil and gas operations. 

Balancing Energy Security with Sustainability 

As global energy demand grows, with the population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, technologies like DACC, when combined with point-source capture and commercial utilization, could play an important role in balancing energy security with environmental sustainability. CC&C’s approach ensures that carbon capture is not only about reducing emissions but also about creating value from captured CO₂, making the process more economically sustainable.