Page 48 - Impiantistica Industriale - Settembre Ottobre 2014
P. 48
Monetisation:
Transportation
vs Transformation
Review of the main transformation technologies
Guido Collodi
Foster Wheeler
Akey theme of all the major world • global gas resource base is vast and widely
energy forecasts is the growing role dispersed geographically;
of natural gas in the global energy
mix. Energy forecasting is a complex • gas can help diversify energy supply and so
tapestry of a myriad of factors and improve energy security;
assumptions and hence, unsurprisin-
• unconventional gas resources – shale gas is
gly, the forecasts do not align precisely. However, today the most “popular” - are now estimated
to be as large as conventional resources;
the following two themes lead all forecasts. Firstly,
• gas is particularly attractive for regions, such
a surge in the global demand for energy as a result as China, India and the Middle East which are
urbanising and seeking to satisfy rapid growth
of population growth, increased prosperity and in- in energy demand.
dustrialisation. Secondly, climate change initiatives The IEA (International Energy Agency) chart below
shows global energy demand forecast by fuel up
(currently the biggest variable in all forecasts) will to 2035 (figure 1). As can be seen gas is forecast
to overtake coal in 2030 and is approaching oil
Tphroemmotaejolor woeprtiConOs2 energy pathways. by 2035 by supplying approximately 25% of the
available for gas monetisation world’s energy – hence the 2010 to 2035 timefra-
me being suggested as the golden age of gas.
are classified as being either transportation or tran-
2. What type of gas?
sformation. This paper will focus on the technologi-
Whilst conventional gas continues to make up
cal aspects of some of the transformation techno- most of global production, it loses percentage sha-
re to unconventional gas production. Unconventio-
logies. nal gas is forecast to account for some 25% of gas
production by 2035.
Fig. 1 - IEA chart shows glo- 1. A golden age of gas?
bal energy demand forecast
by fuel up to 2035 Global uncertainties affecting the energy sector
can be seen as opportunities for natural gas. The
growing role of gas in the global energy mix is dri-
ven by the following:
• when replacing other fossil fuels, gas genera-
tes lower CO2 emissions;
2.1 Conventional gas
Gas which can be recovered by conventional dril-
ling and production; no special enhanced recovery
techniques are required. Further classified accor-
ding to whether the production is independent of,
or associated with, oil production:
non-associated gas - gas that is not associated
with crude ogial rse-segravsest;hpatreisdoamssinoactiaetlyedCHw4it;h crude
associated
oil reserves, and is often separated at the well head;
thyepaicvaiellryccoomnptaoinnesnCtsHi.4ew. Cith2, significant amounts of
C3, C4 and trace C5+’s.
Impiantistica Italiana - Settembre - Ottobre 2014 47
Transportation
vs Transformation
Review of the main transformation technologies
Guido Collodi
Foster Wheeler
Akey theme of all the major world • global gas resource base is vast and widely
energy forecasts is the growing role dispersed geographically;
of natural gas in the global energy
mix. Energy forecasting is a complex • gas can help diversify energy supply and so
tapestry of a myriad of factors and improve energy security;
assumptions and hence, unsurprisin-
• unconventional gas resources – shale gas is
gly, the forecasts do not align precisely. However, today the most “popular” - are now estimated
to be as large as conventional resources;
the following two themes lead all forecasts. Firstly,
• gas is particularly attractive for regions, such
a surge in the global demand for energy as a result as China, India and the Middle East which are
urbanising and seeking to satisfy rapid growth
of population growth, increased prosperity and in- in energy demand.
dustrialisation. Secondly, climate change initiatives The IEA (International Energy Agency) chart below
shows global energy demand forecast by fuel up
(currently the biggest variable in all forecasts) will to 2035 (figure 1). As can be seen gas is forecast
to overtake coal in 2030 and is approaching oil
Tphroemmotaejolor woeprtiConOs2 energy pathways. by 2035 by supplying approximately 25% of the
available for gas monetisation world’s energy – hence the 2010 to 2035 timefra-
me being suggested as the golden age of gas.
are classified as being either transportation or tran-
2. What type of gas?
sformation. This paper will focus on the technologi-
Whilst conventional gas continues to make up
cal aspects of some of the transformation techno- most of global production, it loses percentage sha-
re to unconventional gas production. Unconventio-
logies. nal gas is forecast to account for some 25% of gas
production by 2035.
Fig. 1 - IEA chart shows glo- 1. A golden age of gas?
bal energy demand forecast
by fuel up to 2035 Global uncertainties affecting the energy sector
can be seen as opportunities for natural gas. The
growing role of gas in the global energy mix is dri-
ven by the following:
• when replacing other fossil fuels, gas genera-
tes lower CO2 emissions;
2.1 Conventional gas
Gas which can be recovered by conventional dril-
ling and production; no special enhanced recovery
techniques are required. Further classified accor-
ding to whether the production is independent of,
or associated with, oil production:
non-associated gas - gas that is not associated
with crude ogial rse-segravsest;hpatreisdoamssinoactiaetlyedCHw4it;h crude
associated
oil reserves, and is often separated at the well head;
thyepaicvaiellryccoomnptaoinnesnCtsHi.4ew. Cith2, significant amounts of
C3, C4 and trace C5+’s.
Impiantistica Italiana - Settembre - Ottobre 2014 47
