25 febbraio 2024 –

🟦 1) Currently, natural gas is vented or flared, resulting in a significant loss of carbon and hydrogen. Utilising this natural gas supply can contribute to realising the full potential of natural gas resources and GHG reduction.

🟦 2) List of the products from natural gas venting and flaring:
1- Hydrogen,
2- Carbon fiber,
3- Carbon nanotubes,
4- Synthetic graphite, and
5- Carbon black.

🟦 3) Steam methane reforming (SMR):
SMR is a process that separates a hydrocarbon source into hydrogen and carbon. It is the most cost-effective way to produce hydrogen but releases CO2 and does not capture solid carbon.

CH4 + H2O (+heat) → CO + 3H2
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 (+ small heat)

🟦 4) Methane Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis is a process of breaking down natural gas into carbon and hydrogen without any additional reactants. This process can potentially produce solid carbon feedstock, but it requires a high temperature of 1,100-1,200 °C.

CH4 → C(solid) + 2H2

🟦 5) Carbon Fibre
Carbon fibres comprise interlocking graphene sheets and offer high tensile strength, low weight, high stiffness, high temperature tolerance, and low thermal expansion. They are used primarily as a reinforcing agent in high-performance composites with synthetic resin matrices.

🟦 6) Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs)
CNTs are tiny tubes of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal pattern, with each tube only one nanometer in diameter. CNTs have a superior atomic-bonded crystal structure, making them nearly 20 times stronger per pound than carbon fibre. Nanotubes will likely replace carbon fibres as superior substitutes.

🟦 7) Synthetic Graphite
Synthetic graphite is a crystalline carbon with a planar honeycomb lattice structure. It’s a purer form of graphite and is more expensive. Due to its predictable behaviour, it’s used in high-end applications like solar batteries and electric-arc furnaces.

🟦 8) Carbon Black
Carbon black is a powdery byproduct of incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products. It’s used as a reinforcing agent for rubber tyres, a pigment for colour in coatings and printer inks, and a conductive filler material for inks or plastics.