ZEUS Power May Lower CCS Costs

The project combines oxyfuel combustion under high pressure with immediate liquefaction of CO₂. This is technology that may have major significance for both the Norwegian continental shelf and international gas markets. In this article, ZEUS Program Director at Aker Solutions, Kjartan Pedersen, explains how the solution can create new opportunities.

CLIMIT Support for ZEUS

In January 2024, the CLIMIT program board decided to allocate financial support to Aker Solutions for the Zero Emission Unmanned power Station (ZEUS) project. The funding covers nearly half of the costs for the CLIMIT-Demo project. The development period will last until 2029 – with Petronas and MISC from Malaysia, Clean Energy Systems from the USA, and NTNU as partners.

Technology is based on burning natural gas with pure oxygen under high pressure. When the exhaust is cooled, both water and CO₂ become liquid and can be pumped directly back underground. The aim is to test and document a new system for liquefaction and reinjection of CO₂.

A Vision for Future Generations

Aker Solutions has long had a clear goal of developing technology which can both meet future energy needs and help reduce emissions. Carbon capture has become an increasingly important part of the strategy. – When we looked into this in depth, we saw that scaling up carbon capture was expensive. We asked the question: How can we lower the costs? says Kjartan Pedersen at Aker Solutions.

Work on ZEUS began in 2014. Since then, the company has matured the idea, worked with customers and other suppliers, and arrived at a holistic concept. It is modular and designed for both offshore and onshore facilities.

Natural Advantages as a Starting Point

Norwegian reservoirs offer good pressure, and offshore areas provide access to cold cooling water. By utilizing these conditions, ZEUS can reduce both the size and cost of equipment.

When gas is burned with oxygen at high pressure, the exhaust – consisting of CO₂ and water – condenses to liquid with moderate cooling. – The core of our technology is to burn gas with pure oxygen. This gives an exhaust stream containing only water and CO₂. That makes CO₂ much easier to capture, and we achieve nearly 100 percent capture. At the same time, it allows us to design compact and flexible power plants, Pedersen explains.

Flexible Balancing Power?

ZEUS essentially functions as a thermal power plant running on gas. Normally, gas burns with air that contains 79 percent nitrogen. When the nitrogen is removed, it must be replaced with 79 percent CO₂ to prevent the combustion chamber temperature from becoming too high.

Malaysia has large gas reserves with high CO₂ content. ZEUS requires 79 percent CO₂ for combustion, making it ideally suited for this market. This is why cooperation has been established with Petronas and MISC in Malaysia. A demo plant is being planned. Among other things, it will test whether ZEUS can function as a balancing power plant, where output can be rapidly increased or decreased. Such flexibility will make the solution attractive in power systems where solar and wind play an increasingly important role.

New Markets for Untapped Gas

For various reasons Europe has gas reserves which are not being utilized today. ZEUS can make it possible to use this gas for power production without emissions. – We may help unlock gas reserves that would otherwise remain unused. This can make Europe more independent of foreign gas without increasing emissions, says Kjartan Pedersen. This opens up new markets – particularly in countries such as the UK and the Netherlands, where electrification from shore is not always economically feasible.

Collaboration with Research

NTNU is a key partner, contributing to test planning and research programs. IFE, for its part, is testing fluid mixtures under high pressure, while suppliers from the aerospace industry are contributing combustion technology. – This is a good example of how offshore expertise can be applied to new, green solutions. If we succeed, much of the technology can be built and delivered from Norway, Kjartan Pedersen says.

Norwegian Value Creation with Global Climate Gains

Aker Solutions emphasizes that a large share of the design, analysis, and fabrication can take place in Norway. ZEUS will be able to create significant value through engineering expertise, production, service, and maintenance. The project also highlights concrete opportunities for reuse of infrastructure, such as decommissioned platforms and terminals, where ZEUS can be integrated into existing facilities. Thus, climate cuts are combined with cost-efficient utilization of old installations.

The Road Ahead

CLIMIT funding covers nearly half of the costs of ZEUS’ first phase. Going forward, technology will be tested in several thousand operating hours, and the results will be used to validate simulation models and cost estimates.