04/03/09 - Dow/Union Carbide Reaction Engineering and Catalysis Seminar Series honoring Jean B. Cropley

Challenges in Energy Diversification

Ben A. Christolini
Research and Development
UOP LLC
Des Plaines, IL

ABSTRACT

Megatrends that impact energy consumption all point to the need for energy diversification. Crude oil will continue to be a major component of the energy mix, but as non traditional oil becomes an increasing part of the mix, crude oil is becoming increasingly refractory posing challenges in converting it into acceptable transportation fuels. Natural gas will continue to grow strongly as a primary energy source. However, increasingly the sources of natural gas are remote and offshore posing challenges to cost-effectively monetizing them. Coal use will grow but there are obvious hurdles to its use that must be overcome. Using coal cleanly requires not only cleanup of its conversion products and byproducts, but also capture of CO2 and its sequestration in a cost effective manner. Challenges here range from cost effective cleanup technologies to CO2 conversion technologies. A natural solution to this seems to be bio-renewables but there are challenges here too that must first be solved. These challenges, solutions to them that have already been developed and potential solutions that could be developed will be discussed.

Friday, April 3, 2009 9:00am - 10:45am
*Room 401 Engineering Sciences Building
A small reception will be held in Andrews Conference Room, 1st floor ESB, Room 115 following the seminar

Questions or Directions call: 304-293-2111, ext. 2418.
*Please note change in venue and speaker

04/03/2009