Clariant, Technip Energies new tech reduces steam methane reforming’s CO2 footprint

In Minnesota, Clariant and Technip Energies launched EARTH: Pioneering technology to reduce the CO2 footprint of steam methane reforming. The drop-in solution offers producers a cost-efficient way to save energy or to increase capacity with a decreased CO2 footprint and first commercial use has shown drastic reductions in CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, and pressure drop at the same yield.

EARTH reduces the CO2 footprint of the process up to 20%. Being the acronym of “enhanced annular reforming tube for hydrogen,” EARTH technology has demonstrated excellent performance in its first commercial application and has already been awarded two major new contracts.

The EARTH system is designed as a drop-in solution, thus it is well suited to both existing and new reformer tubes. It is already in operation in the Akkim hydrogen (HyCO) plant since January 2019 and shows excellent and stable performance. Results to date are outstanding: 20% less CO2 emissions and nearly 40% lower fossil fuel consumption– all at equal hydrogen and CO output.

Clariant and Technip Energies have also been awarded two further contracts for EARTH. In the first of them, Repsol has selected the technology for a 21,000 Nm3/h hydrogen plant in Cartagena, Spain. Scheduled to start up in February 2023, the plant will use multiple feed sources, including natural gas and H2 rich off-gases, as feedstock.

The second assignment is for an upgrade of an existing European hydrogen plant. At either site, the expected results are the same: considerable environmental and economic benefits.