Non-catalytic pyrolysis of associated gas to zero CO₂ hydrogen and high value carbon black

The overall objective of this work is to perform a pre-Front End Engineering Design (pre-FEED) study of the conversion of associated gas produced at an active oil pad of a Bakken oil field producer, to high value carbon black and hydrogen using the Microwave Plasma Pyrolysis of Associated Gas (MPP-AG) process developed by H Quest Vanguard, Inc (HQV). The University of North Dakota’s Center for Process Engineering Research (CPER) collaborated with HQV to complete a design and techno-economic analysis for the MPP-AG deployed at an active Bakken well site flaring an average of 54,000 standard cubic feet per day of AG. The proposed design consists of: • A Microwave Pyrolysis Unit (MPU) which consists of H Quest’s proprietary MPP technology • A patent-pending Gas Conditioning Unit (GCU) designed by the University of North Dakota to condition intermittent and variable flow gas prior to pyrolysis. • An auxiliary unit running on the associated gas to power the GCU and MPU in an “island mode” configuration.. Authors: Nasah, Junior [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)] (ORCID:0009000480841332); Bellal, Abdelmalek [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)]; Andraju, Nagababu [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)]; Skoptsov, George [H Quest Vanguard, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)]; Visnawathan, Vignesh [H Quest Vanguard, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)]. DOE Contract: FE0032234. Subjects: 03 NATURAL GAS; 08 HYDROGEN; Flaring; bakken; carbon black; hydrogen; microwave pyrolysis